The Passage Of Time
by itsnotaboutlove
Summary: A group of scientists find themselves unlocking the truth about their lives, when a mysterious woman shows up out of time. AU. Read & Review please!
1. Chapter 1

_San Francisco, California. 2023. Enterprise Station. _

The hum from the old Mac filtered through the room, as Pavel Chekov tapped away at the keyboard. Another day passed by as he sat and fiddled around with the new program that he and his co-workers put together. Another day went by in which the program failed to work. Typing in another sequence code, the computer screen froze as it downloaded.

"Shit!" he hissed, wiggling the mouse around.

Within seconds, the computer unfroze and the sequence continued to download. With a sigh, Pavel pushed the rickety seat back and stood up. It was a five after two in the morning, and he was starving. He'd skipped dinner with the others down in "the fridge", hoping to achieve some progress. Grabbing the empty coffee mug, Pavel made his way out of the room and left the computer running the download. He didn't expect it to be done anytime soon.

_Unknown location. Year N/A_

Lavinia sat before her vanity, as her maid carefully pulled a few strands of her flame red hair up. It was nearly six and dinner would start shortly.

"Can you get my dress out, Lucy? I think I'll leave the rest of it down for dinner tonight," she said, as the maid fiddled with the black pins.

Lucy stepped back and did a curtsy, "Yes Ma'am," she said quickly, her Irish brogue bringing a smile to Lavinia's face.

"Lucy, please call my Lavinia. Ma'am is what one would call my mother. I am not that old, nor am I awful like her, she said.

The maid gave her a small smile and quickly excused herself to retrieve the gown from the sitting room, closing the door behind her. Lavinia sighed and stared at her reflection in the mirror, before closing her eyes as the corset strained against her ribcage. All she could think about was the moment when she would return to her room after dinner, and stripping down to her warm nightdress and curling up with a book.

There was a loud thump from the next room, causing Lavinia to turn as quickly in her seat that her corset would allow.

"Lucy?" she called out.

There was no reply and Lavinia frowned, standing up from her seat. Grabbing the sheer white robe that laid across the baseboard of her bed, she pulled it over her corset and knickers and made her way to the door. Leaning against it, Lavinia rested her ear against the cool wood panels and listened for movement on the other side.

"Lucy, is everything alright?" she asked, her ear still pressed against the door.

When she received no answer, she started to panic. She looked around her room and debated on running out into the hall or opening the door to check on Lucy. Grabbing the parasol that laid on the table near the door, Lavinia gripped the doorknob and closed her eyes.

"Don't be a ninny, Lav. You're maid could be in serious trouble," she muttered to herself, as she twisted the doorknob.

Counting to three, Lavinia pulled the door open and held the parasol out in front of her.

"Ah ha!" she yelled, waiting for a monster to jump out.

But instead, she found herself looking out into a dimly lit hallway, with a bare floor and bright white walls. Poking her head out into the hallway, Lavinia looked up and down and found it deserted.

"Lucy, are you here?" she asked, as her voice echoed off the walls. "This isn't funny, Lucy. Did you tie my corset a bit to tight tonight?" she asked, as she turned around to go back into her room.

Instead of meeting the oak walls and lovely linens and her own reflection in the mirror, she was met with a dark room that smelled like cleaning materials.

"What in the world.." she muttered, as she walked into a swinging objet.

With a yelp, Lavinia cursed to herself before reaching up and grasping a chain. Pulling it down, a dim light filled the room and she faced brooms and mops, along with bottles of things she didn't recognize. She took several steps back and found herself in the hallway, staring at the closet.

"You're dreaming, Lav. The corset is too tight and it made you pass out," she muttered, leaning against the wall for support. "It's not the first time it's happened, and it wont be the last."

She then turned and faced one end of the corridor, "Lucy?" she called out, as she started walking.

She needed to find her maid.

_San Francisco, California. 2023. Enterprise Station. _

"It still doesn't work?" Hikaru asked, as he shoveled a pile of curry around on his plate.

Pavel sighed, "I don't know what went wrong! I could've sworn all the calculations were correct and that my recent results would work!" he exclaimed, as he set the coffee mug down.

Hikaru shrugged, "Maybe we just need to update the computer , Pav. The software is over a year old, and you know how Apple continues to update their shit," he said.

"Aw look at this! A little date night?"

Hikaru rolled his eyes, "What's this? Jim Kirk not coming home with a lady on his arm?" he snapped back.

Jim only grinned as he made his way to the refrigerator, opening the door to dig out some food.

"Why bring a lady home, when I can just bother you two. Or maybe Bones?" he asked, his head between the three day old carton of milk and a six-pack of Bud.

"Can't you bother someone else? I have experiments to run," a southern-drawl filled the room, as the three men turned to look at it's owner.

Jim stood up and grinned at Leonard, who carried his empty coffee mug over to the sink. "But Bones, you're my best friend!" he said, clapping the older man on the shoulder.

"And you're a pain in my ass," he snapped back, giving him a light shove.

Hikaru sighed, "How's the experiments going?" he asked, as Leonard took a beer from Jim.

"Shitty," he scowled, taking a seat at the long oak table. "Can't figure out what the hell those assholes did at the lab," he said, popping the cap off.

Jim hopped up onto the counter and opened his own beer, "Well, my job is going swell!" he said, grinning at all three of them.

They rolled their eyes as he continued, "Not only did I manage to hack into Starfleet's computer system, undetected," he said, with a dramatic pause. "I managed to extract a few important documents on the shit they were planning with our department," he said.

"Great," Leonard groaned, rubbing a hand down his face. "I'm sure Chris is going to LOVE this," he mumbled.

"Love what?"

The foursome turned to the doorway, and found Christopher Pike standing before them. Like the others, minus Jim, he too held an empty coffee mug.

"Rough night, Pike?" Hikaru asked, as their leader headed towards the sink.

Chris turned the tap on and rinsed the mug out, before moving to the coffee machine.

"Every night is a rough night, Sulu. I am a wanted fugitive, hiding underground with my team of misfits and we still haven't accomplished a damn thing," he said, setting the coffee machine up to brew.

He turned around and managed a small smile, "How is your evening going, gentlemen?" he asked, as they all stared at him. When they didn't respond, he let out a sigh and nodded. "That good, huh? Any improvement, Pavel?" he asked, turning to the teen.

Pavel shook his head, "No, sir. But I'm working on it!" he said quickly, as Chris sighed. "Sequence is downloading now as we speak," he promised.

Leonard held up his beer bottle and saluted Chris, "And I'm trying to make a realistic disguise for your mission tomorrow," he said, with a shrug. "But so far it's looking a little too much like Churchill and we all know that wouldn't be good if he showed up where you're going," he said, before taking a long swig.

"Well I hope my disguise is better this time around," Jim said, eyeing his half empty bottle with sadness. "I wasn't too keen on looking like a middle-aged woman with sagging tits," he said.

"Excuse me for trying to make you look the part! I'll do my very best this time around!" Leonard snapped.

This began a bickering match between the two, while the others sat with disgruntled looks on their faces. Hikaru played with his now cold food, while Pavel stared at the scratches on the tabletop. Chris went back to the coffee maker and poured himself a fresh cup.

Jim was in the middle of shouting, when someone at the door stopped him mid-speech.

"It's not my fault that you don't know how to make me look good! Do you remember what happened the last time you sent me out? I HAD A NASTY OLD MAN HITTING ON ME AND ASKING ME TO MEET HIM AT HIS CAR LATER FOR SOME H-"

"Cat got your tounge, kid?" Leonard asked, smirking as Jim stared off with wide eyes.

When Jim didn't respond, Leonard frowned. "What's wrong?" he asked, sitting up in his chair.

The only thing Jim could do was lift his hand and point towards the doorway. Four heads quickly turned in that direction and they were stunned. For standing in the doorway, was a very lovely woman with red hair dressed in a corset and robe.

"C-could you tell me how to get back to my room?" she asked, glancing at each of them.

Pavel and Hikaru stared in silence, while Jim gaped at her like a fish. Chris blinked a few times at her appearance, trying to make sense of it. Meanwhile, Leonard quickly pushed his chair back and stood up. The sound of the chair scrapping against the floor made the young woman jump back, as she eyed the man standing before her.

"Who are you?" he growled, as he bore holes into her.

The young woman gasped and quickly turned on her stocking-clad heel and took off, disappearing into a flash of white and red.


	2. Chapter 2

_San Francisco, California. 2023. Enterprise Station._

Lavinia couldn't recall the last time she had ever run so fast, as she made a sharp turn at the end of the corridor. The pounding of her heart and stocking clad feet filled her ears, as she let out sharp and painful breaths. She made a mental note to never run in a corset again, as she wheezed. The sound of pounding footsteps came from behind, along with shouts.

"COME BACK!"

Lavinia managed to look over her shoulder as she ran, and screamed. The man who shouted at her was catching up, and being followed by the others. Turning her head back forwards, Lavinia made another turn and dashed into a room. Skidding to a halt, Lavinia found herself in a very sterilized room. She saw jars and vials along the countertops and shelves. Several beds laid about, covered in thin white sheets.

When she spotted one of the trays next to the gurney, she screamed. There were so many objects upon the tray. Blades and clamps, needles and other unknown objects. In such a daze, Lavinia didn't hear the men coming in behind her. It wasn't until the forceful grip on her shoulders and the hard yank, which broke her out of her daze, which made her realize that she'd been captured.

Struggling, Lavinia tried to kick at her captor, but it was hard to do with her back against his chest.

"Get your hands off me!" she growled, struggling against the ironclad grip.

"Who the hell are you?" the man shouted, as he pushed her into the corner.

Lavinia's shoulder hit the wall, making her gasp in pain. Sinking to her knees, Lavinia pushed herself up and turned to look at the man.

"How dare you! Is that how you treat a lady?" she snapped, glaring at the man.

She heard a snicker by the door from one of the others, and the man before her sneered.

"I could do worse," he said, and in a blur he had his arm against her throat and a scalpel against her cheek. Lavinia yelped as the cold blade rested just below her eye, and pushed herself further into the wall.

"Now," he whispered harshly, "I ain't gonna ask again. Who are you and how the hell did you get in here?"

Lavinia stared at him with wide eyes, her breath caught in her throat. All she wanted was to return to her room, have dinner and go to bed. But she found herself at a loss as to where her room was. She couldn't even remember where she was from or what year it was. Only a few short minutes ago, she knew exactly what the year was and where her room was located. But as she roamed the halls, things became blurry and she couldn't put two and two together.

Opening her mouth to speak, Lavinia found herself at a loss for words. Instead of giving her name, a startled cry left her mouth.

"McCoy!"

Lavinia blinked harshly, as a few tears fell from her eyes. McCoy turned his head slightly to the side, as Christopher moved forward.

"That's enough," he said, his voice cool and calm. "Let her go."

McCoy stood still, the blade still resting against Lavinia's face and his arm against her throat.

"McCoy, that's an order," Christopher stated.

With one last look, McCoy dropped both his arm and the blade. He glared at Lavinia before moving back, allowing her a view of the others.

With a strangled cry, Lavinia sank to the floor and began to sob. The corset was digging into her ribcage in her awkward position on the floor, and the sobbing made it harder to breathe. With one hand under her breast, trying to grip her ribs, Lavinia kept her gaze on the ground.

A few minutes later, she felt a hand on her arm and jumped. Looking up, she saw a younger man crouched down before her. He had short black hair and a friendly face. He was what mother would all a _Chinaman, _someone who fled their country and corrupted the youth with their horrid tales of dragons and their drugs. She could remember the time when her mother caught her playing with a young girl from Beijing, and how her mother dragged her away shouting.

"_Their kind is dangerous, Lavinia. I will not tolerate you stooping so low to socialize with them!" _

Hikaru held his hands up in defense, "Hey, hey.." he said, as she looked at him with fearful eyes. "I'm not going to hurt you," he said.

Lavinia looked between the man before her to the others behind him, who in returned watched her closely.

"What's your name?" he asked, her gaze turning back to him.

Lavinia cleared her throat, "Lavinia Rose Watson-Campbell," she let out in one breath.

Hikaru chuckled, "That's a long name, Lavinia," he said.

She managed a small smile and he held out his hand, "I'm Hikaru Sulu," he said, as she glanced at his hand. "Come on, the floor can't be _that _comfortable," he said.

Taking his hand, Hikaru grasped it firmly and helped her off the floor and to her feet. Once she was stable on her own, Hikaru let her hand go and turned to the others.

"These are my friends," he said, nodding to the men. "They wont hurt you either."

"Friends? Was the man with the blade a friend of yours?" she asked.

By then, McCoy had left the room without a word, and for once Lavinia was glad to have him out of sight.

"Don't worry about McCoy," Hikaru said. "He's just a grumpy old man."

"Careful Sulu, you don't want him to hear that," the blonde said, moving forward. "I'm Jim Kirk," he said, holding out his hand.

Lavinia took it and shook it lightly, "Charmed, I'm sure," she said.

Hikaru snickered as Jim frowned, and nodded to the others. "That's Pavel Chekov," he said, nodding to the very young man with curly hair.

He gave her a small wave, "Hello," he mumbled, before looking down at his feet.

"And this is our boss-man, Christopher Pike," Hikaru finished.

Lavinia looked at the much older man that stood next to Pavel, and frowned. He looked familiar and the name as well, though she couldn't remember exactly where she had heard it before.

"I think we need to talk, Miss," Christopher said, nodding to her.

She nodded, "I think we do," she replied, as the world tilted beneath her feet. "But I feel really funny and co-" she slurred, before falling forward.

_London, England. February 1952_

The bitter wind ripped through the streets, as the man pulled the collar of his wool coat up. Grey skies rolled in, as the evening crowds bustled about, making their way to cabs and the train station. Scotty looked both ways before jogging across the street, before heading down the alleyway.

It was nearing six and it was time to go home, after a long day with his lady.

_Betty. _

Scotty sighed as he thought about the dark-haired woman, who lived in a little flat above the local bookshop. He'd left her in her warm bed, dressed only in her stockings.

"_Why must you go, darling? Can't you stay the night?" _

"_Ye know ah want to, Betty. But I don't want yer reputation tarnished."_

"_It's already ruined, love. I don't care what people say about us." _

With a quick kiss on her pouty lips, Scotty grabbed his coat and hat and made his way out of the flat, down the stairs and into the winter air. Leaving Betty was always hard, and something Scotty tried to avoid. While the others had no idea where he spent most of his evenings, Scotty assured them that he was working and not rushing off to fulfill his needs. The alley was dark and reeked of trash and piss, as stray cats dodged behind garbage cans.

Scotty let out a sigh as he moved deeper into the darkness, keeping his ears open for unknown sounds. When he was out of sight from the streets, Scotty stood against the wall and dug through his coat pockets. Finding what he needed, he stood still and closed his eyes. With a hum and a tugging sensation, Scotty felt as if he were being pulled down through the ground. Falling into the dark abyss of the unknown.


	3. Chapter 3

_San Francisco, California. 2023. Enterprise Station_

The fog dispersed behind Lavinia's closed eyes, as she came to. Squeezing her eyes shut, she groaned as the feeling of nausea rushed through her. Once it settled, she opened her eyes and quickly shut them as the bright lights blinded her. Very slowly opened them again and found steely grey and warm brown eyes hovering over her.

"Am I dead?" she asked, as her vision cleared.

Hikaru laughed, "No," he answered.

Lavinia groaned and reached up to touch her head, "What happened?" she asked.

"You fainted after saying you felt funny," Christopher said. "And you were going to say something else but you passed out."

Lavinia shivered, "Cold. I was going to say that I was cold," she remembered, the feeling of a bitter chill that wouldn't go away.

"Well, it doesn't help that you're wearing…" Hikaru started, before he looked down at her undergarments. "What exactly are you wearing?" he asked with a frown.

Christopher chuckled and helped Lavinia up to a seating position. She thanked him and turned her attention back to Hikaru, her eyebrows raised slightly.

"It's called a corset," she said, as he blinked. "You know, undergarments?"

Hikaru shrugged, "I didn't know that women still wore them. I thought they were from like the eighteen hundreds," he said.

Lavinia frowned, "Aren't we?" she asked.

"Aren't we what?" Christopher asked, coming over to them with a wool blanket.

"What year are we in?" she asked, as he draped the blanket around her shoulders.

"It's two-thousand twenty three," Hikaru said, a confused look on his face.

Lavinia stared at him while Christopher made sure she was covered and warming up. While she couldn't remember a single thing- only that she was wandering the halls of a mysterious building- she knew for a fact that she didn't belong in this time period.

Christopher leaned his hip against the gurney and sighed, "Now we need to talk," he said.

An hour later, Lavinia found herself seated at the oak table in the kitchen. The blanket was wrapped tightly around her shoulders, warming her slightly.

"So you don't remember a single thing?" Hikaru asked, from his place near the stove.

Lavinia shook her head, "No. Which is strange because I knew exactly where I was supposed to be when I stepped into the hallway. But as soon as I started walking," she shook her head. "It's like the memories faded right out of my head."

"Do you remember small details? Family? Where you're from?" Christopher asked, as he set a fresh cup of tea in front of her.

"Thank you," she said, reaching for the hot glass. "I remember my parents. And I think I'm from New York," she said, taking a sip.

Hikaru came over with a plate and fork, setting it down in front of her. "You think you're from New York?" he asked.

Lavinia looked down at the plate and frowned, for there was too much going on. Eggs, bacon, toast and something that looked fried, covered the entire plate.

"Do I have to eat this all?" she asked, looking up at Christopher and Hikaru.

"Just eat as much as you can," Christopher said, pulling out the chair across from her. "Then we'll find you some clothes and you can get some sleep."

Picking up the fork, Lavinia ate slowly and silently as they sat and watched her. "I remember busy streets and a big park," she said, before biting into the toast. She chewed and swallowed before continuing. "Most of the people were American and I remember the docks with all the ships," she said.

Christopher nodded, "So we'll work our way there. We can research old databases and see if we can pull anything up with your name," he said.

"Nyota could do it," Hikaru said, shrugging. "We'll have to wait until she comes back from her trip," he said.

Lavinia picked up her cup and took a sip, "What is this place? And what do you guys do?" she asked.

The men exchanged glances before looking at her, "We should wait until the others are awake or back from their trips," Hikaru said.

"There's a lot of trips, huh?" she asked.

Christopher stood up from his seat, "You could say that again," he mumbled, as he walked over to the sink.

Lavinia ate a little more, before pushing the plate away. Her corset kept her from eating a large quantity of food, as well as digging into her body.

"Come on," Hikaru said as he stood up. "Lets get you some clothes and you can get some sleep."

Following him out of the kitchen, Lavinia fell into step with him as they walked down the hall towards the elevator. The ride down to the third level was silent, except for the hum of the tiny car moving down the shaft.

"We'll have to set a room up for you, but for now you can sleep in my room. I'll just crash on the sofa in the rec room," he said, pushing the door open.

"Oh, I couldn't put you out of a suitable sleeping arrangement," she said, as she stood in the doorway of his room.

Hikaru moved to the dresser near the wall and pulled a drawer open, "It's fine. I'll let Nyota and Christine know you're here that way they can bring some stuff," he said, pulling out a pair of sleep bottoms and a faded t-shirt.

"Christine?" she asked, stepping further into the room.

Hikaru nodded, "Yeah, she's McCoy's girlfriend," he said.

Lavinia let out a snort, "That.. _thing _has a girlfriend?" she scoffed.

'He's not that bad," said Hikaru. "We're just not used to.. visitors. Especially ones that show up dressed like this," he said, scanning her from head to toe.

She blushed, "Well, I feel sorry for her," she snipped, moving past him.

Pulling off the blanket and the robe, Lavinia laid them across the neatly made bed and turned to look at him.

"Could you," she started, before blushing.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I need you to unlace me," she said, looking down at her clasped hands. She then looked up at him and rolled her eyes, "My corset! I can't reach the laces and I'd really like to sleep without it," she said.

He nodded, "Oh! Right, sorry!" he said, moving forward.

Setting the clothes down onto the bed, Lavinia turned her back towards him and pulled her hair over her shoulder. Hikaru looked at her long slender neck and creamy skin, before reaching the laces at the top of her corset. With shaky hands, he quickly pulled the laces loose and Lavinia sighed.

"Finally," she groaned, as the pressure around her torso faded. "Thank you," she said, turning to look at him.

Hikaru nodded, "I'll let you change and get some sleep. Later we can all sit down and figure out what's going on," he said.

Lavinia nodded, "Right. Well goodnight then," she said, as he walked towards the door.

"Goodnight," he replied briefly, before closing the door behind him.

_New York City. Unknown date._

The crowds were unbearable, as the figure in black moved between the bodies. It was a chilly evening and the press ran wild, like rabid dogs after a prey. The cameras were set and ready to snap the first photographs, hoping to grace the morning papers. To be part of history in the making.

The rain fell hard against the pavement, puddles forming on the sidewalks and in the streets. Just like the people in the streets, the sky wept for the lost.

"It should be here any minute!" one man yelled, as he got his camera ready.

The figure in black smiled to itself, as it stepped into the street. Moving across the parked taxis and cars, it stepped onto the sidewalk and headed towards it's destination. It wanted to be right there. Front and center. To make sure that a particular person wouldn't dare show their face. For Lavinia Rose Wason-Campbell was a dead woman.


	4. Chapter 4

_San Francisco, California. 2023. Enterprise Station._

Lavinia woke up several hours later, feeling more tired than before and achy. Rolling over in the comfortable bed, she peered at the clock on the table. It was a little after nine in the morning and that meant Lavinia had slept in, and most likely missed breakfast. She pushed herself out from under the blankets and grabbed her robe, slipping it over her shoulders. As she ran her fingers through her tangled hair, Lavinia spotted a piece of paper on the table next to the clock.

_Lavinia,_

_Came in to check on you. When you wake up come up to level one for breakfast. Christine will be by around ten with clothes and whatever else you need._

_Hikaru._

Setting the paper down on the table, Lavinia made her way towards the door and stepped out into the hallway. She took the lift up to level one and followed the smell of food and the banter that filled the hallway.

"I haven't had enough coffee to deal with you, Kirk!"

Lavinia stopped in the middle of the doorway and watched as the man who held a blade against her face, swatted at Jim. She then spotted the younger man at the table, eating a bowl of cereal, while Hikaru stood by the stove.

"Knock it off, man! I'm trying to cook here!" he snapped, as Jim bumped into him.

Jim snorted, "Yeah, cooking for the new girl," he shot back.

Lavinia swore that Hikaru turned five different shades of red at Jim's comment, before kicking Jim. She stood quietly in the doorway watching as the three men by the stove bickered, with Pavel as their audience.

"It's always like this."

Lavinia jumped and moved away from the doorway, her hand grasping at her heart. When she saw that it was only Christopher standing before her, she dropped her hand and sighed.

"Sorry, didn't mean to sneak up on you," he said.

She nodded, "Forgive me, but I think everything will make me jumpy," she said.

There was a clatter of pots and pans and a round of shouting, which made them both look into the kitchen. Jim managed to knock a dirty frying pan onto the floor, along with a container of strawberries.

"Dammit Jim! Go sit down and wait!" Leonard shouted, as he went to clean up the mess.

"Does everyone make him that mad? Or is it me and that guy?" Lavinia asked, as McCoy cursed.

Christopher shrugged, "He's had a tough past and we're on a high alert," he said, as he glanced at Lavinia. "McCoy gets worried when new people show up," he said.

"Ah," Lavinia nodded. "Don't I feel lucky," she mumbled.

Christopher patted her on the shoulder, "Don't worry. Once he calms down and gets to know you, he'll be more tolerable," he said, as he moved into the kitchen.

"I heard that, Pike!"

"You were supposed to, McCoy," he shot back, moving over to the coffee machine.

Hikaru looked over his shoulder and smiled, "Hey! You made it!"

Lavinia gave him a small smile and nodded, "I was told that food and clothing would be here," she said, as Jim rushed over to her.

She looked up at him and he grinned down at her, holding his arm out. "Yes?" she asked.

"Shall we, Miss?" he asked, nodding down to his arm.

Lavinia looked at it, then at him. "I can walk to the table myself, thank you," she said coolly, before moving away.

There were a few snickers and remarks, as Jim stood by the doorway with a pout. "You're not really nice," he said, following her back to the table.

Pavel pushed the seat out that was next to him, and Lavinia sat down. "Thank you," she said to him, before turning to Jim. "I don't have to be nice to you," she said, eyeing his wrinkled clothing. "I don't even know you."

"True," Jim said, before grinning. "But I think you'll want to get to know me," he said.

Lavinia fought the urge to roll her eyes and was luckily saved when a plate of hot food was set before her.

"French toast and hash browns!" Hikaru said, before taking the empty seat next to her.

She smiled at him, "Thank you. It looks wonderful," she said.

Jim rolled his eyes as Hikaru made his move on the new girl and sulked in his seat, eating his food silently. While the others slouched in their seats, Lavinia sat up and on the edge of her seat. The others took note of how her back never touched the seat, nor her elbows.

"Oy, I smell something really good!"

Lavinia looked up from her plate and saw a short, stocky man coming into the kitchen. She watched as he made his way over to the counter, scooping up food onto a plate before making his way over.

"Sulu ye always make the best breakfast," he said, plopping down into the vacant chair next to Jim. "I dunno how ye do it," he marveled, rubbing his hands together.

He grabbed the fork and started cutting at the food, before shoving a large amount into his mouth. As he chewed, Scotty looked across the table and saw Lavinia between Hikaru and Pavel.

"Whoifthat?" he asked.

Leonard rolled his eyes, "Don't talk with your mouth full, Scotty. I don't need to see you digesting," he snapped.

"This is Lavinia," Pavel said, as he pulled his legs up onto his chair. "She arrived early this morning," he said.

Scotty chewed a bit more before swallowing, "What do ye mean arrived? I didn't know we were havin visitors," he said.

"I'm not a visitor," she said, as he eyed her. "I honestly don't even know how I got here."

Scotty just stared at her, before looking at the others. "Is this a joke? Yer pullin' me leg!" he laughed.

Jim sighed, "She's not, Scotty. She literally showed up and in her underwear too!" he grinned.

"Are you always this uncouth?" she scoffed, which earned her a few chuckles.

"Are you always this uptight?" he snapped back.

Christopher decided to step in before a knife ended up in Jim's neck, "Enough," he said, holding his hands up. "We don't know the exact details as to how she got here. But we'll figure it out," he said.

Lavinia set her fork down and dabbed her mouth with a napkin, "Can I ask a few questions?" she asked.

The men shrugged and nodded, "Fist off, what year is this?" she asked.

"Twenty Twenty-Three," said Jim.

"Where are we?"

"We are at Enterprise Station- though it's more like a mansion," said Pavel.

"Where exactly is this.. mansion?" she asked.

"San Francisco," Leonard muttered.

"And what do you all do?"

The answer didn't come right away, as they exchanged glances with each other before looking at her.

Lavinia rolled her eyes, "Oh please, I'm not going tell anyone! It's not like I know my way around San Francisco to begin with."

Christopher looked down at his coffee cup, "Well, we're scientists."

"What kind of scientists? Are you doctors?" she asked, pushing them to give her the answer.

"Well, Bones is a doctor. And Pike has some medical training. But I'm more of a researcher and a professional hacker," said Jim.

Pavel scratched his ear, "I work with computers," he shrugged.

"And I'm a historical researcher and I help design our machines," Hikaru offered.

Lavinia tried to take all the information in, before she frowned at them. "That doesn't exactly answer what you all do together!"

Leonard sighed, "Oh for the love of god," he muttered. "We time travel, sweetheart. You know jump from one time to the next," he snapped.

Lavinia stared at him for a moment, as the others went silent. Then she began to laugh despite the fact that they all looked so serious at the idea. She grasped her side and covered her mouth, knowing that it was very un-lady like of her to do such a thing.

"T-time travel? You can't be serious!" she laughed, glancing at each of them.

Scotty picked up his fork, "Ye bet yer behind we do! I run the machines and created the little devices that help us jump from time to time," he said, before shoving the fork in his mouth.

Lavinia looked at them and began to realize that it wasn't a joke.

"You can't time travel! That's just nonsense!" she shouted, as Leonard groaned.

"Either one of you show her or I'll send her for far into the future that she wont be able to come back!" he snapped, as he got up from the table.

Lavinia was at a loss for words as the others got up, carrying their plates and bowls to the sink. Pavel looked over at Hikaru and sighed, feeling sorry for her.

"Come on, we'll show you how it's done," he said, pushing back his chair.

_Enterprise Station. Laboratory One._

"So you pick a certain year, disguise yourself as someone else, and go?" Lavinia asked.

She was sitting on one of the chairs by the computers, her eyes skimming the reports and data being processed. It was too much for her to take in at once, and she felt her eyes burn at the sight of all the screens.

"Not just any year," Pavel said, as he grabbed one of the many folders on the table. "See, our company- Starfleet- works on Earth and in space. Back in two thousand fifteen, they discovered the ability to time travel after numerous reports said it could never happen. That in fact, time travel had been going on since the early nineteen-eighties."

"So Starfleet decided to create this underground unit," said Jim, as he made a paper plane. "Some of the best scientists, doctors, engineers and communications officers. All divided into small teams and sent to research and jump through time."

"But why? I don't understand why anyone would want to go back to another time period," she said.

Hikaru sighed, "At first it was for fun, trying to learn from the past through a physical aspect," he started. "But then we- meaning our team- found out that Starfleet was using time travel for something different. They created wars and accidents, altering lives and the future. Had important people killed or took ordinary everyday people and altered their future."

"There was a rumor for a while, that Starfleet took people out of their own time periods and brining them to the future, wiping out their memories and putting fake ones in," Jim said, shaking his head.

Pavel sighed, "Christopher was the one who found out and threatened to go to the higher ups outside of Starfleet. But when Jim hacked into the phone lines, and heard that Starfleet had plans to make sure we'd never speak.." he trailed off.

Lavinia looked at them sadly, "You guys ran," she finished.

They all looked ashamed at the thought, "Chris wanted to give himself up after he brought us here. But we couldn't let him do that for us," Jim said, looking up at her. "We were all part of this and he shouldn't take the full blame."

She nodded, "So what do you do when you time travel?" she asked.

"We disguise ourselves with new identities. McCoy and Pike started working on this a few years ago and it's worked so far. We get new faces and voices. But say I was with Jim or Scotty," HIkaru said. "I would look like me and sound like me to them. Vice versa."

"But to everyone else? We look like our disguises," Jim finished.

Lavinia took in the information and nodded, "I want to try it," she said.

Hikaru laughed, "Oh no. No way," he said, shaking his head.

"Why not? Maybe if I tried it, it would help me figure out where I'm from!" she said, as he continued to shake his head.

"You don't have any experience and what if you jump into a time period and have no idea what's going on?" he asked.

Lavinia rolled her eyes, "You're a historical researcher! Can't you, I don't know, give me a short history or wherever we go?" she asked.

"I think we should try it," said Jim, shrugging.

"What? Absolutely not!"

Lavinia rolled her eyes, "Oh honestly! You just want me to sit here and figure out who I am the hard way!" she cried.

HIkaru shook his head, "That's not true! I just don't think it's safe and Chris would KILL us if we shoved you into another time period!" he insisted.

"So lets ask him! How could he say no to a lovely lady like me?"

Jim snorted, "Oh man," he choked. "You know, Pike hasn't had a lady friend in quite a while," he winked.

Hikaru made a face, "Shut up, Jim!" he snapped. "Fine! We'll ask him," he said, as Lavinia clapped her hands. "But he'll want to make sure you're medically stable to do this. Time travel isn't a joke," he warned.

Lavinia nodded, "That's fine with me," she said, standing from the seat. "Now, show me the way to his office."


	5. Chapter 5

_**ENTERPRISE STATION. CHRISTOPHER PIKE'S OFFICE.**_

"Absolutely not!"

Chris paced back and forth as Lavinia sat in the chair facing his desk. Hiakru and Pavel sat on the sofa, while Jim tinkered around with various objects that covered the bookcases.

"Why not?" Lavinia cried, as Chris continued to pace.

"Because it's dangerous! And you have no experience!" he shouted, stopping to look at her.

Lavinia folded her arms across her chest and raised her head, "I will not allow you to treat me like an invalid," she said. Pavel, Hikaru and Jim all stopped and looked between her and Chris.

"Excuse me?" Chris asked, placing his hands on the desk.

Lavinia looked at him for a moment in silence, before speaking again. "I am not one of your workers that you can command! I think I have the right to see what you people are doing here and to find my way back home!"

"She's got a point, Boss," Jim said with a shrug. "Besides, we wouldn't have to make a disguise for her since Starfleet has no idea who she is."

Chris shook his head in disbelief, as Lavinia tried to hide her smile. Pavel cleared his throat and looked at his boss.

"Sir," he started, yelping with Chris turned his gaze onto him. "I-I think it would be a good idea as well. Maybe we can find out how she got here and fix the security system so we wont have any other visitors," he said, quickly dropping his gaze.

Hikaru, who looked just as uncomfortable as Chris about the entire thing, shook his head. "I think it's a stupid idea, if you ask me," he said.

"We weren't though," Jim said, smirking at him.

Chris sighed, "Fine," he groaned, as Lavinia opened her mouth to speak. "But! McCoy is going to do a medical write up first. You'll need to get vaccines so you won't catch a goddamn thing," he said.

"YES!" Jim shouted, before taking off out of the room.

Hikaru rolled his eyes, "Un-fucking-believable," he muttered, as he stood from the sofa.

"I also want an MRI- that way you don't' fucking collapse or suffer an brain trauma when traveling. I want you medically cleared before suiting up," Chris snapped, as he sent a message to McCoy. "Kids.." he muttered.

Chris excused them so he could get back to work, reminding Lavinia that Christine was probably waiting for her in Medical. Pavel went off to his computers, leaving Hikaru and Lavinia to themselves in the hall.

"You're awfully quiet," Lavinia said, as they walked.

"Nothing to talk about."

His answer was short and right to the point. He was mad at her. Lavinia couldn't believe how mad he was at her for wanting to find out who she was.

"If you're going to be cross with me, go ahead," she told him, as they reached the door to medical. "It wont change my mind," she said.

They stopped right outside and Hikaru turned to face her, "Why do you really want to do this?" he asked.

Lavinia sighed, "I don't belong here, Hikaru," she said softly.

For a moment, Lavinia could've sworn that it was sadness flashing in his eyes. He then shook his head, and opened the door. Lavinia followed him and spotted McCoy and a woman, standing near his desk.

"So, you're going in?" McCoy asked, as he set the PADD down. "This should be fun," he said, rolling his eyes.

Lavinia sighed, "For a doctor you have such a _wonderful _bedside manner," she snapped.

The woman sitting at the desk snorted, before smothering her laughter with a cough. McCoy scowled and moved away from the desk to start the prep for the physical. Lavinia turned her attention to the woman, who smiled at her.

"You must be Lavinia?" she asked, getting up from the seat.

She nodded, "Christine I take it?"

The woman nodded, "That's me. When I received nearly a hundred messages from everyone about a mysterious woman, I didn't expect you to be a pretty little thing," she said, glaring at McCoy.

Lavinia snorted, "Don't worry. I hardly find him attractive, especially when he held a knife to my face," she said.

McCoy started slamming things around as he worked, muttering under his breath as he did. Christine rolled her eyes and shook her head, before pulling Lavinia over to a gurney.

"Anyways, Pike asked me to bring you some things. Clothes and toiletries, that sort of thing. I'll take you up after McCoy finishes his work and we'll figure out what fits and what doesn't," she said, before excusing herself.

Hikaru was about to follow her when Lavinia stopped him. "Don't leave me here with him!" she cried.

"I have work to do, Lavinia," he said, with a sigh.

"He held a knife to my face and manhandled me!" she shrieked, as McCoy came over with a tray.

McCoy rolled his eyes, as he picked up the first hypo-spray. "Don't be such a infant," he snapped, before plunging it into her neck.

Lavinia screamed and batted his hands away, "Are you crazy!" she shouted, jumping off the gurney. "Don't you dare come any closer!" she warned.

"If you don't sit your ass down and shut up, you can kiss time travel goodbye!" he snapped, as Hikaru watched from the doorway.

Lavinia glared at him and moved back onto the gurney, sitting with her fists clenched near her sides. Hikaru shook his head and walked out, leaving them alone. It took two hours for McCoy to gather his information and administer vaccines for every disease he could think of. By the time Christine came back to collect her, Lavinia was exhausted. Her neck was sore and red from the injections, which McCoy looked smug about as he went to clean up.

"Don't worry about him," Christine said, as she opened the door to a room. "I'll make sure he's nicer to you. Anyways, this will be your room for now. I brought over a few things that I had in storage- blankets, sheets and towels," she said, pointing to the folded linins on the desk.

Lavinia stood by the bed and watched as Christine turned the rest of the lights on, "Toiletries are all in the bathroom, and they should last you at least a month. If you're still here by then and run out, just have Pike contact me," she said.

"You don't live here with them?" she asked, as Christine opened a window to let some air in.

She shook her head, "No. I live a few blocks from here," she said, moving to the suitcase on the bed. "I still work for Starfleet, as a nurse and analysis."

Lavinia frowned "But- they said Starfleet was bad, no?" she asked, confused.

Christine sat down and nodded, "They are. Well, the field that they worked in. McCoy and I were settled in the medical department, before he was pulled into this mess. Now he's here and I'm there, trying to keep this operation under control." She said with a shrug. "I guess you can say that I spy for them and bring their food and clothes."

"So, you never time traveled with them?" Lavinia asked.

Christine looked down at the tank top in her hands, fingering the delicate silk between her fingers. "I used to," she said, before tossing the garment to the side. "Saw too many things that no one should have to see. Now come try these on and see if they fit," she ordered, tossing Lavinia a pair of jeans.


	6. Chapter 6

"**The Fridge" Enterprise Station- Ground Floor. **

The men stood around the kitchen table, discussing the fact that Lavinia wanted in on their work. While some thought it was a great idea- Simon, Jim and Pavel- the others tried to think of a way to keep her from doing it.

"You know she's going to have a hissy fit if you tell her no," Jim said, as Chris and McCoy went over the medical results.

"Kid, I don't care if she throws a hairbrush at us. I still think it's a goddamn ridiculous idea for her to go out there," he snapped.

Chris looked up from Lavinia's physical results with a frown, "McCoy, can you explain to me why her body temp is below norm?" he asked, pushing the PADD across the table.

McCoy scowled at him before picking the device up, skimming the results until he stopped at her body temp. The tri-corder picked up a ninety-four point three, which automatically concerned him. Results like that pointed to hypothermia, though Lavinia didn't appear to physically have those symptoms the last time McCoy saw her.

"Jesus Christ. According to this she's hypothermic," he said, reading the rest of her results.

Chris pulled off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "We need to run more tests. I'm not putting her through this so she can pick up some disease or go into a winter climate. She's staying put until her body temperature goes up," he said.

McCoy nodded in agreement, while Jim groaned. Suddenly there was commotion at the doorway, which made everyone look up to see Christine smiling at them all.

"I do hope you boys can keep your eyes in your sockets and your mouths off the floor. Poor girl nearly had a fit in a half when she realized I wasn't putting her in a dress," she said.

"I did not!" said an outraged cry from the hall.

Christine rolled her eyes and sighed, "Oh just come out and show them all. I worked hard to make you look more modern," she said, before stepping into the kitchen.

A few seconds later, Lavinia stepped into view, wringing her hands nervously as the men stared at her.

"Ye look sharp, lass. Jeans are good to work in. Ye cannae do anything in a dress if ye ask me," Scotty said, as he plucked a cookie off the dish before him.

Jim nodded in approval, while Pavel told her she looked pretty. Hikaru on the other hand couldn't help but stare at her. The jeans were tight; really tight. The dark denim showed off her slender legs and curvy hips, as the pants rested snugly below her hips. His eyes traveled from her hips to the form-fitting white tank top, before his eyes stopped. _BOOBS. _Granted, Hikaru had seen his share of boobs- working with Christine and Nyota who both liked to wear tight shirts with low necklines- but Lavinia was different.

The corset she wore the night before kept them hidden, and the shirt she wore earlier was much too baggy for him to notice. But now, as she stood before them, Hikaru couldn't stop staring at her boobs. And he felt perverted for doing so, since Lavinia desvered the upmost respect. Someone cleared their throat and Hikaru felt a sharp jab to his ribcage, and he tore his eyes away from her.

"Lavinia, we're going to do another test," Chris said, as moved closer to the table.

"Why? Did something not come up?" she asked, taking a cookie that Scotty offered her.

Chris and McCoy exchanged looks, before the older man looked at her. "Let me ask you a question," he said. "Do you feel cold?" he asked.

She frowned, "What?"

"Right now this room has the heater on. It's seventy-two degrees in here, and you're wearing a sweater," he said, nodding to the wool garment that covered the rest of her.

Hikaru looked back at Lavinia and took note of the pink light pink cardigan, and was puzzled. It _was _hot in the kitchen; it always was despite the given nickname "the fridge". And Lavinia looked like she was holding back a shiver, as she shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans. Hikaru noticed that when she did this, it exposed the lacy band of her underwear. He felt his face flush when he realized that it was sheer, and quickly looked down at the table.

"Um, a little. I was cold in my room and the hallways are a bit chilly," she said, with a shrug. "Why?" she asked.

Chris was about to respond, when a feminine voice filtered into the room.

"What no welcome home party? I didn't go all the way to Africa for you guys to forget about me!"

Lavinia turned around and made eye contact with the woman, who stopped short in her tracks. To say that the woman was beautiful was an understatement; she was stunning. Her skin was like caramel and her long silk hair was pulled up into a ponytail, swishing as she looked from Lavinia to the others at the table.

"What's going on? I didn't know we were getting recruits," she said, trying to remain calm.

Chris sighed, "Nyota this is Lavinia," he introduced. "Nyota is our go-to for communications and tracing our databases for any bugs," he said.

Lavinia gave her a small smile, "Hello," she said.

Nyota gave her a once over, and for a moment Lavinia was sure that a look of hatred filled her pretty face. Suddenly, Nyota gave her a mega-watt smile and stepped closer to her.

"It seems that we have a lot of catching up to do," she said, glancing at the others. "It's nice to meet you, Lavinia. What's your expertise?" she asked.

Lavinia just looked at her and Nyota sighed, taking in her confused look. "Dammit! What's going on?" she snapped, glaring at Chris. "Who is this girl?"

Scotty let out a low whistle, while Jim muttered "fight, fight, fight" under his breath. Chris looked exhausted at the thought of a screaming match, and McCoy looked impatient.

"Sir?"

Chris turned to Pavel, who looked nervous at the idea of Nyota bursting into a fit right then and there. "Yes Pavel?" he asked.

"Maybe we should try meditation or something to relax her mind?" he asked, before clearing his throat. "I mean.. we can coax her into trying to remember anything about her life."

Chris looked to McCoy who shrugged, "We could try it. I don't know if it'll work though," he said.

"You're not going to cut me open are you?" Lavinia asked, glancing between McCoy and Chris.

"I wouldn't let him, Lavinia. This doesn't require any touching," Chris said, as he stood up from the chair.

She nodded, "Good."

McCoy sighed, "Let's get going. I have work to do," he snapped, collecting the medical files.

**MEDICAL LAB 1. 2****ND**** FLOOR. ENTERPRISE STATION. **

The elevator ride and walk down the hall to one of the medical labs, was a long one. Chris and McCoy led the way, as Lavinia followed behind. Behind her, Hikaru, Jim and Scotty stared at her ass, as they followed her. When Christine caught up with them and saw that they were practically drooling from the mouth, she let out a disgusted scoff and pulled Lavinia by the hand and dragged her the rest of the way.

"Dude, those jeans!" Jim hissed, as they stepped into the lab.

"The lass is going to be a big distraction!" Scotty groaned, as he lightly kicked a garbage can.

HIkaru kept his eyes on Lavinia, as she sat down on a chair. Like earlier, she sat up straight with her hands folded in her lap. Her back never once touched the back of the chair, and her held herself up with such grace. He knew that she was from a decade where posture and table manners were important. Mentally he knocked out three decades that he thought of the night before, and hoped this experiment would help them figure out where she came from.

"Okay, so I want you to close you eyes," Chris said, as he sat in the chair across from her.

Lavinia closed them and Chris continued, "Relax your breathing. Pretend that you're about to go to sleep- there we go, very good," he said, as she did so. "Now I want you to picture what you remember. It can be images, sounds, smells or anything physical- like clothing or picking up a glass."

"I remember the s-" she started, before he stopped her.

"No, no. Don't tell me what you see," he told her. "Just picture it in your head."

She sighed and let out a breath, before concentrating on the task. She could hear her heart beating in her ears and the feeling of her muscles relaxing. Lavinia could hear someone whispering before being shushed, as she concentrated. At first, everything was bundled up and a mix of multiple things. The sound of an orchestra playing a waltz, the smell of cigar smoke and the how velvet felt along her fingertips. Everything was warm and somewhat peaceful, as she saw seemed to be the inside of a car.

Then everything changed. Suddenly she saw water and everything was cold. Freezing. And the screams. Blood curdling screams and the feeling of a heavy weight settling in her chest. Lavinia felt her heart racing as she drifted further into the darkness, the sharp stabbing that raced across her body. Her chest began to hurt and she struggled to breathe.

"Lavinia!"

She needed to breathe; there was so much water and it was so cold. Then someone was grabbing her by the arms and pulling her up- up through the water to the surface. _Finally _she thought as the surface began to break and a bright light filled her eyes.

"Lavinia come back!"

Her eyes flew open and met the steel grey orbs that belonged to Chris, and she blinked furiously as she tried to focus. A few seconds later, she realized that he was holding her up in his arms and she heaved for air.

"What happened?" Hikaru asked, as he made his way over to them.

She looked around the room and caught the looks on everyone's faces, hoping to find a conclusion to what had happened. Pavel looked like he was about to cry, while Jim stared at her with wide eyes. Christine was covering her mouth and looking worried, while McCoy frowned and pondered on what the hell just happened. Scotty gave her a pained look, and Nyota looked completely bored.

Lavinia then met Hikaru's eyes and she could see the worry in them, as he reached out to touch her shoulder.

"What did you see?" Chris asked, as he loosened his grip on her.

She shook her head, "I-" she started, as she struggled to catch her breath. "I think I just saw myself drowning."


	7. Chapter 7

**Hikaru Sulu's Quarters. Enterprise Station. **

"How crazy was that? She saw herself drowning?" Pavel asked, as he sat in the chair by the desk.

Hikaru folded up his clean laundry, placing folded shirts and pants into the dresser, before moving to the closet.

"Crazy doesn't even cover it, Pavel. More like fucked up," he said, placing the folded quilt back onto the shelf.

Pavel shrugged, "I wonder where she's from," he said. "Hey, maybe tomorrow we can show her how to use the database, maybe it'll help if we can pull any records up."

"McCoy put her down with a heavy sedative, so it probably wont wear off til after dinner," he said.

"I know, ass. I was there when he gave it to her," Pavel said, rolling his eyes.

Hikaru shrugged, "Maybe we should just let her rest and get used to living here," he said. "What if we send her back and something bad happens to her?"

Pavel gasped, "You like her, don't you?"

"She's nice and polite," Hikaru started, before Pavel shook his head.

"No, I mean.. you _like _her, like her. The "you wanna get down and dirty with her and have little Asian, ginger babies with her" like her, " he grinned.

Hikaru glared at him and Pavel shrugged, "What? I think that's cool that you're attracted to someone. When was the last time you even had a girlfriend, let alone, gone on a date?"

"We are not having this conversation, kid. All I'm saying is, whatever she saw is either something that happened to her as she shifted into our timeline, or something that will happened to her," he said. "I don't want to send her back into a potential death trap."

Pavel sighed, "Yeah, I know," he mumbled, growing serious at the thought. "But admit it, she's hot!"

"**The Fridge" Enterprise Station**

McCoy stood by the stove, turning the pieces of chicken in the frying pan, while Pike and Scotty moved around him. Tonight they were on cooking duty, and McCoy had full control over the menu. After the adventure he and the others had that morning, a little comfort food wouldn't hurt to boost their spirits.

"Should we put a plate out for the lass?" Scotty asked, as he washed the dishes from that morning.

McCoy nodded, "She should be up by the time dinner's ready," he said. "Should I send Sulu to get her?" he asked, looking over at Pike.

Chris looked up from the strainer, which held the fresh bunch of spinach, and shrugged. "I could get her," he said. "Besides you, I'm the only one with medical training and I can administer a hypo if she's feeling sick."

McCoy nodded slowly, side-eyeing his boss, as he drained the spinach and dumped it into the pot next to the pan.

"Hey Scotty," McCoy called from over his shoulder. "Can you get that sack of potatoes that Christine brought over?"

Scotty nodded, "Aye. And lets hope we have enough liquid courage to get through the night," he grinned, with a wink.

Once the Scot was out of the kitchen, McCoy set the fork down and turned to Pike. "Ever since Lavinia got here, you've been actin' weird," he said.

Chris looked over at him, "What?" he asked, frowning.

McCoy rolled his eyes, "You stare at her with this weird look on your face," he said, as Chris started chopping carrots.

"What I'm doing is no different from what everyone else is doing, McCoy," Chris said, as he began chopping the next carrot.

"You look at her as if you know her. Like you ain't seen her for years."

The knife in Chris' hand stilled, and he closed his eyes with a sigh. McCoy quickly turned the chicken in the pan, before setting the fork down on the counter.

"What's going on, boss?" he asked, his voice a little softer this time.

"You ever get that feeling that you've known someone, without really meeting them?" Chris asked, as the younger man shrugged.

"I don't know. I guess so."

Chris picked up the dishtowel and dried his hands, before turning to look at him. "I feel like I know her from somewhere. Or from another life," he shrugged. "I know it sounds crazy, but when I saw her, it's like this light flickered on in my head and the sense of knowing came to life in me."

McCoy nodded slowly, "This isn't your way of saying that you want to get with her too, is it?" he asked.

"What? Absolutely not!" Chris exclaimed, visibly insulted at such a thought.

The doctor chuckled, "Good, because Christine already snapped at three of our men for staring at her ass," he said, turning back to the pan.

Chris rolled his eyes, "I guess manners don't work with certain people, huh?" he asked, resuming his chopping.

McCoy snorted, "For Jim? No. But I'm sure Scotty's just lonely over his lady issues and Hikaru hasn't seen a attractive woman in years since we bunkered down here," he shrugged.

Chris smirked, "Attractive? McCoy are you're eyes wandering away from the lovely Christine Chapel?" he asked.

McCoy glared at him, "No way in hell. Sure, Lavinia is a pretty girl, but I ain't attracted to her. Somethin about her that makes me feel all weird if I think of one X-rated thought that includes her," he shuddered.

…..

Two hours later, Chris was leading a very drowsy Lavinia to a chair, as the others loaded their dishes with food. Everything smelled foreign to her, as a plate was placed in front of her.

"What.. what is all this?" she asked, with a frown.

McCoy set a glass of ice water in front of her, "Fried chicken, mashed potatoes and lots of vegetables," he said with a grin. "Eat up, little lady."

Lavinia stared at the plate with confusion, while the others ate. Everything looked unhealthy and messy, which was something Lavinia didn't like. Sure, the fork would be used to eat the mixed vegetables and potatoes. But the chicken required touching with hands, and Lavinia didn't eat with her hands. She picked up the fork and managed to pull a few pieces of the chicken off the bone and ate them slowly. The grease didn't help with her upset stomach and the spinach tasted like it was slathered with salt and butter.

After a few more bites, she set the fork down and picked up the glass of water. Afterwards, Lavinia asked to be excused and returned to her room and to bed.

…..

**Reading Room. Second floor. **

"So all you have to do, is type in this bar here your name," Jim said, as he leaned over Lavinia. "And then you click this button here, and a bunch of results will pop up," he said, pointing to the areas on the screen.

She nodded, "What then?" she asked, looking up at him.

He smiled, "You can write them down or hit that button there," he pointed to the picture of the printer. "All of the paper will come out here and you'll have a copy of your search."

"What if I can't find anything?" she asked, as Jim checked to make sure there was paper in the ancient machine.

He shrugged, "Then we'll look elsewhere," he said. "Don't panic if you can't find anything on the computer, Vina. After a while, records just disappear as the years go by."

"That's so sad," she said, looking at the computer screen. "All of those lives just forgotten as if they didn't exist."

Jim patted her shoulder, "Tell me about it," he sighed. "Well, I'm going to pick up my work from the boss man," he said, looking down at his watch. "I'll come check on you in an hour," he said, with a smile.

Once Jim left, Lavinia turned in her chair to face the screen. Like Jim showed her, she slowly typed out her name in the search bar. It took a few minutes, as she hit each key with one finger.

"Stupid machine! What ever happened to sending a messenger to fetch papers?" she muttered, as the computer whirred to life, searching the database for one Lavinia Rose Watson- Campbell.

While the computer searched, Lavinia stood up from the chair and walked around to the stuffed bookcases. She skimmed the shelves, touching the worn and batter spines of the novels. She spotted a few that she could remember; _Shakespeare, Austen, Dickens; _along with several other books that sounded interesting. Lavinia made a mental note to ask Jim if she could borrow few books when he came back, and returned to the computer.

She was surprised when several Lavinia Rose Watson-Campbells' appeared in the results. She clicked on the first result, but was denied access to it.

"I don't have a code! Just let me read it!" she cried, as she kept clicking on the link.

With a huff, she moved the blinking arrow to the next result and let out a sigh of relief when the page changed. But she was startled when a bunch of documents and articles popped up, and started reading them. But as she read, Lavinia saw that the photocopies of the documents were partially blacked out. Her date of birth for one, was marked out.

"Well that's silly," she muttered, as she scrolled down.

She continued reading and saw that the date of death had a thick black mark across the box, and Lavinia felt her heart stop.

"Don't panic, you're not dead. It's just an old document and it's nothing, " she told herself, despite the feeling of dread that filled her. "It's probably not even about you!"

Went from the first document and to the next, which was a photocopy of a newspaper clipping. Like the first document, the date published was marked out, along with a few details within the article. Lavinia scooted forward and squinted at the screen as she began to read:

_Miss Lavinia Rose Watson- Campbell, 19, was embarking on her _ to New York, for her wedding. Her father, Charles Campbell of Campbell Industries in New York, and mother, Edith Ruth Watson- Campbell were due to arrive within a weeks time, for the summer wedding. The family was in Paris at the Campbell estate since the New Year. _

_Wedding. _

Lavinia shook her head, "No," she whispered.

_Miss Lavinia was _ and was _. When her fiancé was spotted leaving his home on the Upper East Side, he was visibly distraught over his fiancee's death. His assistant sent a statement, which said, "I am deeply saddened by the loss of my fiancée, Lavinia. I was looking forward to our upcoming wedding and spending our lives together, whether it'd be here in New York or wherever my bride wished. Though we had only met once, I loved her and I shall cherish the memories I have of her. Please find it in yourselves to let me grieve in peace, though I shall find it difficult to ever get over this great loss"_

Lavinia closed her eyes and sighed, "No, no, no.." she chanted, pulling at her hair.

Her father was Charles Campbell of Campbell Industries, producing the finest automobiles for the rich. Her mother, Edith Ruth Watson-Campbell was from France and lived to see her daughter rise through the upper ranks of society. This article was definitely about her. She was engaged and dead. And somebody didn't want her to know how and why. Her heart pounded in her chest, as she reached out to scroll further down the page. She felt it stop entirely, when she saw the photograph.

Lavinia stood before the fireplace in a siting room, so large and grand, that had it been in color it would make for a lovely Christmas card. She wore a lovely gown of lace and silk, her hair pulled up into a bun. She did not look at the camera, but up at the man who stood at her side.

"Oh my god."

In the photograph, Lavinia stood arm-in-arm with one Christopher Pike.


	8. Chapter 8

**Enterprise Station. **

Lavinia clutched the folded printout to her chest, as she ran down the hallway. Her footsteps and strangled gasps echoed off the walls, as she made sharp turns and weaves through the maze-like halls. Reaching the door to her destination, she quickly pushed it open without knocking and nearly tripped on the rug.

"What the? Lavinia?"

Sitting behind the oak desk with his feet up, Chris held a worn copy of _Sherlock Holmes _in his hands. She took in his appearance; an old flannel shirt, worn jeans and sleek glasses. A far cry from the outfit he wore in the photograph, which she had in her hands, but still handsome. It was possible that Lavinia would've been madly in love with him in her accurate timeline, but she didn't know.

"I- I found something," she said.

Chris nodded and placed the book down on the desk and placed his feet onto the floor, "What is it?" he asked.

Lavinia made her way towards him and laid the folded papers down, before stepping back. She wrapped her arms around her waist and watched as he opened the papers up and scanned them. The copy of a death certificate, filed in New York City. The article and the photograph, along with an announcement of their engagement. Proof that she was real and that she died so very young, leaving behind a grieving family and a distraught fiancé. Like the death certificate and article, the other pieces of documentation were blacked out. No dates or causes of death were listed, which bothered Lavinia.

"Wow.." said Chris, as he held the picture in his hands.

She nodded, "I- you- we're engaged," she said, before shaking her head. "Or we were engaged and then I…"

"Died," he finished, as he scanned the marked out death certificate.

Lavinia nodded, "It doesn't even say how I died or when. Nor does it say when I was born, so I can't even figure the math out. But I do know that I am nineteen and that my birthday is in May. But who knows when I died. I could've been twenty or thirty!" she rambled, as she started pacing before him.

Chris was still staring at the photograph as she continued, "But then I see myself drowning. So I must've died by drowning, which is insane because I would never go into the water!"

"Why?" he asked, finally looking up at her.

Lavinia stopped pacing and looked at him, embarrassed. "I don't know how to swim."

Chris nodded, "Oh," he said, glancing down at the documents before him. "What else did you find? Any other articles? Interviews like the one I- or whoever this was- gave?"

She shook her head, "I couldn't get into many of the results. A lot of them required a passcode or taken down by whomever put them up," she said.

"What about memories? Is there anything that you can remember?" he asked.

Lavinia shook her head, "It's bits and pieces. Nothing that would help me in figuring out my life."

Standing up from his seat, Chris folded the papers back up and moved around the desk to stand before her.

"Maybe we should see if Hikaru can pull something? Or Jim?" he asked.

Lavinia shook her head, "No!" she exclaimed, as she blushed. "No Chris. I don't think I want to know anymore than what I've found."

"But, don't you want to know why half of this is marked out? Obviously there is someone out there that doesn't want you or anyone else to know about your fate," he said.

"What good will it do? If I manage to find my way back, I'll either be in the middle of dying or already dead!" she cried, throwing her hands up. "I rather stay here and adapt to your world. What good will it do, going back only to die?" she asked.

Chris sighed, "Maybe we could stop it from happening," he suggested, but Lavinia shook her head.

"You can't, Chris. What if you change something that's already happened or will happen and it screws up the future? What if we went back and stopped my death from occurring and it keeps from one of your friends from existing?" she asked, as tears filled her eyes. "I will not let you jeopardize their existence!"

"Alright," he said, as she let out a sob. "Let's just go back and see what we can find."

….

"**The Pit" Enterprise Station. Basement. **

"This place is disgusting,," Lavinia said, as Jim scanned the documents.

She made her way around the cramped tables, littered with books, papers and dirty plates. She poked a small pile of papers, watching as they slid down to the floor. A cockroach skittered out from under them as the papers fell, making her shriek.

Chris and Jim looked over at her, as she moved away from the table. "NO! EW! KILL IT!" she yelled, as the roach moved over the dirty plates and under a mountain of papers.

Jim snorted, "Larry? Naw he's a good guy!" he said.

Lavinia scoffed, "You're a pig!" she snapped, rubbing her hands up and down her arms. "I feel like your friends are crawling all over me!"

Chris held out his hand, "Just come here and don't touch anything," he said, as she stepped over the boxes on the floor to take his hand. "If something bites you, McCoy will be pissed."

Jim studied them for a moment before grinning, "You know," he said as he wagged his finger at them. "You two do make a _fine _couple."

"Just find what you can, Kirk. I want a full report on my desk by tomorrow morning," Chris snapped. "And not a single word of this to the others."

"Why not?" Jim asked, frowning.

Lavinia sighed, "I don't want them to know that I'm technically a dead girl walking."

Jim nodded, "Right. Report tomorrow on your desk," he said, turning back to his computer. "You got it, boss."

….

**Lavinia's Room. Enterprise Station.**

Hikaru stood in the doorway of Lavinia's room and watched as she sat at the vanity, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Slowly, she pulled her hair away from the back of her neck and twirled it into a bun. She then grabbed a hairpin and hooked it through, holding the mass of curls in place. When a look of panic flashed across her face, Lavinia quickly pulled the hairpin out and tossed it onto the table.

Frowning, Hikaru knocked on the doorframe and she jumped in her seat, turning around to face him.

"Sorry," he said, with a small grin. "We missed you at dinner."

Lavinia nodded, "I wasn't hungry," she said, as Hikaru stepped into her room.

He nodded, "Yeah, Chris said you were under the weather," he said, sitting down on the edge of her bed. "Are you feeling better now?" he asked.

She shrugged, "A bit. Though I'm pretty bored and all you have for entertainment is technology that puzzles me and too many books."

"Hmm, that doesn't sound like fun," he said, tapping his chin.

Lavinia giggled as muttered to himself, before smiling back at her. "I know what we can do!" he exclaimed.

"You do?" she asked.

Hikaru nodded and stood up, holding his hand out. "I know exactly where we can go," he said.

Lavinia looked down at his hand, then back at his face. "Why do I get the feeling that this will get us into a lot of trouble?" she asked.

"You wont get into trouble, Lavinia," he said. "I'll just say that you needed a bit of entertainment and Scotty's drinking games just wouldn't cut it."

"Oh fine!" she said, taking his hand. "I do hope you know what you're doing!"

Hikaru grinned, "I do!" he said, as he pulled her to the door. "Before we go, I do have a question," he said.

She nodded, "What?"

"Do you know how to dance?"


	9. Chapter 9

**Main Grounds. Enterprise Station. **

After a quick dash to the main level of the Enterprise station, Hikaru brought Lavinia outside and deep into the woods. She could hear the sounds of city life in the distance, and flickers of light through the trees as they walked.

"What could we possibly find here in the woods?" she asked, as he helped her over a bundle of fallen logs.

"The only way I can get you out of here, without Chris breaking down doors, is out here," he said, as she stood next to him. "We are still within the confinements of the station, though."

Lavinia frowned, "Confinements? You mean you're trapped here?" she asked.

Hikaru shook his head, "No, we can leave if we wanted too," he said. "But since we're all wanted criminals, the entire perimeter is surrounded by high-tech security that Chris and Scotty worked on."

She nodded, "Oh, " she said softly, pulling the sweater tightly around her. "I do wish you would stop calling yourselves criminals. It makes me feel like I'm surrounded my murderers or con-men."

He smiled at her, "Then we're lawfully challenged," he offered, reaching into his pocket for something.

Lavinia glanced around at the trees and the twinkling night sky, which peaked through the branches. There was something about the stars that filled Lavinia with awe and dread. She wondered, there in the deep and dark forest with Hikaru, if the stars would play a part in her impending death.

"Okay," HIkaru said, breaking her out of a daze. "This is yours."

Lavinia looked at the small figurine in his hands and frowned, "What is that?" she asked, as he took her hand into his.

"This is your figurine," he said. "Each one of us has a symbol that defines who we are and we use them to jump through time."

Lavinia looked down at the small figure in her palm and smiled. It was made of marble, in the color of ivory. A young girl wearing a dress, much too modern from what she found in her closet back at the station.

"We pick a symbol and Scotty makes them," he said. "I helped him with yours," he shrugged, sheepishly. "I don't know who you are exactly, but for some reason I think you wear a lot of pretty things."

She smiled, "I love it, Hikaru," she said, taking his hand into hers. "Thank you."

He nodded, "You're welcome," he replied. "Right, so when we decide to travel we program them. Then you hold it in your hand, close your eyes and it takes you there."

"And where are we going?" she asked, as Hikaru took her hand into his.

"You'll see," he grinned, before facing forward and closing his eyes.

Lavinia did the same, gripping his hand tightly. Suddenly the air around her shifted and the wind picked up, blowing her hair about her face. Gripping the figurine in her hand tightly, Lavinia felt the ground shift under her feet. The smell of wet grass and pinecones suddenly changed into smoke, sweat and liquor. Then the roaring sound filled her ears before everything fell silent.

**New York City. 1920. **

Lavinia opened her eyes and gasped, taking in the sights before her. The roar of automobiles going down the busy streets, and the sounds of heavy music filling her ears.

"How strange.." she said to herself, as she stepped forward.

A group of women with short hair and frilly dresses, made their way down the sidewalk, before dashing across the street. A horn blared at them, as they shrieked and laughed, yelling at the driver as they moved.

"Ah, there you are," a voice behind her said.

Lavinia turned around and gasped, as Hikaru made his way over to her. Dressed in a three piece suit and his hair slicked back, she couldn't help but take notice of how handsome he looked. She then looked down at her own outfit and yelped, for it showed too much skin. It was short, red and frilly. The cleavage was too exposed for her liking, and it was sleeveless.

"Are you ready?" he asked, as she examined her change of clothing.

Lavinia looked up at him and shrugged, "I think so," she said.

He chuckled, "Relax," he said, taking her hand. "You'll fit in just fine," he promised, as they stepped out of the alley and across the street.

"What year is this?" she whispered, as they followed a group of girls, dressed almost exactly like her.

"1920," he said, nodding to a man standing at the top of the stairs. "The beginning of the end as I like to call it," he smirked.

They took the stairs down, where the music got louder and the air quality became rank, with cigarettes and sweat. Hikaru held her hand tightly, as he pulled her into the building and into chaos. Bodies crowded in all areas of the room, as a band played somewhere in the distance. Couples moved in a face pace across the dance floor, while others held glasses and cigarettes in their hands.

In another life, Lavinia would've been insulted had a man brought her to a place like this. But this was her new life. A fresh page and she had control over what she would do, say and think. Watching as the women shimmied and twirled, their dresses flying up and away from their knees, Lavinia couldn't help but smile.

"So, "Hikaru shouted over the music and chatter. "Care to dance?"

Lavinia smiled and took his hand, "I would be honored!" she shouted back, laughing as he pulled her onto the dance floor.

**Enterprise Station. Nyota's room.**

"When are they sending her back?"

Nyota paced around her room, as Christine sat on the edge of her neatly made bed. For the last two hours, Nyota complained about Lavinia's presence at Enterprise Station, and Christine Chapel was annoyed.

"For the love of god, if you ask me that again I will throw this fucking thing out!" she snapped, gripping the short cocktail dress in her hand.

Nyota huffed and threw herself down on a chair, "I don't understand why Chris won't send her back! What does he need her for? Sex?"

Christine rolled her eyes, "I already told you," she said, pulling the needle through the silk. "We can't send her back because we don't know where she's from!"

"You like her, don't you? She's a new pet for you to dress up and parade around," she hissed.

Standing up, Christine set the dress down on the bed and scooped up her sewing supplies. "I know you've gone through a lot in the last six months, " she said, shoving the spool of thread and scissors into the bag. "But you don't need to be a little vindictive bitch because you didn't get your way."

Nyota watched as Christine stormed out of her room, slamming the door behind her. With a grunt, Nyota threw her head back against the chair and sighed in defeat.

**New York City. 1920.**

Hikaru and Lavinia pushed their way through the crowds and over to the bar, sweaty and gasping. Hikaru nodded to the man behind the counter and shouted out their orders, as Lavinia watched her surroundings. A few seconds later, Hikaru turned around and handed her a tall glass.

"Let's go over here!" he shouted, nodding his head to the corner of the room.

Once they were settled into the corner, Lavinia took a long gulp from her glass. Hikaru watched in shock as she drank, chuckling at the sound of beer going down her throat. Pulling the glass away from her lips, she smirked at him.

"What?" she asked, breathless.

He shook his head, "Nothing," he said, taking a sip from his own glass. "Never pictured you drinking beer like a fish."

She laughed, "Never thought I'd do a lot of things," she shot back, taking another sip.

They remained silent for a few minutes, each catching their breath after several hours of dancing. Lavinia wiggled her toes in the heels that adorned her feet, wincing at the pain that shot through her.

"Why did Chris panic about me doing this?" she asked, leaning closer to Hikaru. "Besides the Earth tilting under my feet, it's not so bad."

Hikaru sighed, "We had an accident six months ago," he said, setting the glass down on the table. "Maybe we should take this somewhere else? I don't want to discuss this in a crowded room," he said.

Lavinia nodded and they both stood from their seats, holding hands as they made their way out of the speakeasy. They pushed past the incoming crowds, watching as they dashed down the sidewalk. After a few minutes of walking and the safe distance away from the party, HIkaru began to talk.

"We were coming back from travel- mid 2000's. It was a war in Iraq, and some of us went in undercover to find some information on developing weaponry that Starfleet wanted to use. Our friend who was a specialist in weapons came with us, though his girlfriend begged him to skip it."

"What was his name?" Lavinia asked.

"Spock. He was a nice guy, though he was very odd," he said, frowning at the thought. "Remember when we told you that Starfleet also works off planet?" he asked.

Lavinia nodded, "Well, Spock was from a planet called Vulcan. Originally, Starfleet recruited him because of his area in science. He was good with plants and other things, but he was very good in weaponry. Read every book he could get his hands on about weapons from all ages," he said, shaking his head.

"So what happened?" she asked, already dreading where this tale would take her.

Hikaru sighed, "Jim, myself, Leonard and Spock were hiding outside a warehouse. We had just heard the plans for these high-tech nuclear weapons for space, when a bomb went off inside. Then the gunfire started from all over, killing American soldiers and civilians," he said, shaking his head. "We ran into an alleyway and started shifting back into our time, when Spock was hit in the chest."

Lavinia stopped walking, "Oh no," she whispered, as Hikaru stood before her.

"He died before Leonard could get him on the table. Chris took it hard, because he was the one that pushed him into going. And his girlfriend took it out on him, before leaving."

"Oh Hikaru," she said, reaching out to take his hand. "I'm so sorry."

He shook his head, "It's tough, but it's a risk we all take," he said, looking at her. "Chris doesn't want you doing this because you have no training. You don't have an understanding of how the world has changed and how to protect yourself."

"But what if we did things like this?" she asked. "You and me. Or everyone for that matter! We could come back and dance and drink cheap beer and live. I don't have to go on these dangerous missions and you wouldn't have to worry!" she insisted.

Hikaru sighed, "I would love nothing more than to take you to ever speakeasy in the city. Every dance hall or music show and dance with you," he said. "But eventually we'll have to send you home."

Lavinia looked down at her feet and nodded, "I know," she said softly. "But I don't want to go back. I think I was born in the wrong time, whatever it is."

He chuckled, "Maybe you were," he said, as they continued to walk again. "But I guess we'll have to wait and see, huh?"

She nodded, "I guess so," she replied. "Do we have to go back right away?"

Hikaru shook his head, "No. We can stay out as long as you like," he smiled.

"Could you tell me more about this year? I certainly don't think I'm from it," she asked, with a smile.

"I would be honored," he said, as she wrapped her arm around his.


	10. Chapter 10

**Enterprise Station. **

Lavinia an Hikaru made their way back up to the building from the woods, laughing and singing as they went. Using his key code, Hikaru moved aside as Lavinia dashed inside the dimly lit hallway. Once the door was locked and the alarm set, the duo made their way down the hall lost in their chatter.

"What a silly song!" Lavinia laughed, leaning into him. "I've never heard such loud music before!"

Hikaru snorted, "It gets worse as the decades go on," he groaned. "One day, I'll take you he early nineties. It's all pop music and boybands."

Lavinia giggled at the face he made, "I'll take your word for it and skip," she insisted, as they turned into the kitchen.

"Oh come on! You would probably like it! If you had to chose, I bet you'd pick the Backstreet Boys," he said, laughing with her.

The shuffling of paper stopped them, as they turned to face the table. Lavinia gasped and took a step back, grabbing Hikaru's hand in the process. Hikaru gave it a light squeeze, before clearing his throat.

"Hey guys…" he stuttered.

Chris sat at the table while Leonard stood nearby, holding an empty tumbler in his hands.

"Where the fuck have you two been!?" the doctor shouted, slamming the glass down on the table.

Lavinia yelped and Hikaru rolled his eyes, "McCoy, stop,' he warned.

"Stop?" he hissed. "Don't tell me to stop, Sulu! Where the hell did you two run off to for five hours?" he yelled.

Lavinia watched from behind Hikaru's shoulder as the doctor stood before them in rage, and Chris who sat quietly watching the two. She saw the look on Chris' face and felt her heart break for him, for he looked lost and sad all at once. His gaze was on both herself and Hikaru, but not at their faces. Lavinia's eyes dropped and she realized that he was staring at their clasped hands.

Quickly, she pulled her hand out of Hikaru's and cleared her throat. "It was my idea," she started, silently glaring at Hikaru when he turned to look at her. "I asked Hikaru to take me out, begged actually," she said, with a slight laugh. "Stupid really. I convinced him with tears and all the dramatics, until he finally said yes."

"What do you mean went out?" Leonard asked.

Lavinia blinked, "We traveled," she admitted, which earned them both a growl from Leonard. "1920 to be exact," she continued, shrugging. "What a lovely year that was. Though, I could do without the short dresses."

Everyone looked down at the short frock that wore and Lavinia felt her face flush, as three grown men eyed her.

"YOU TRAVLED WITH HER!?" Leonard shouted, causing the two to jump. "I DIDN'T CLEAR HER FOR TRAVELING!" he continued, before turning to Lavinia. "YOU!"

"That's enough McCoy," Chris said, finally breaking his silence. He then turned and looked at Hikaru and Lavinia. "You shouldn't have taken her out, Sulu. She's not clear for ravel and it's too risky right now," he said.

Hikaru nodded, "I'm sorry," he said, looking down at his shiny dress shoes.

"I think we should all get some sleep," Chris said, as he stood up from the chair. "Tomorrow morning we'll have a chat before breakfast."

**Observation deck. Enterprise Station. Balcony. **

An hour later, Lavinia found herself walking aimlessly through the halls of Enterprise Station. She bathed and washed the smell of cigarettes and alcohol from her body, and shoved the dress into the back of the wardrobe. She then pulled a long white nightgown on and dried her hair, before pulling the mass of curls into a braid and over her shoulder.

After ten minutes of tossing and turning, Lavinia gave up and pulled herself out of bed. She was forever grateful to Christine and her stockpile of clothing that she'd left behind for her. The long bathrobe that she pulled over her nightclothes, kept her warm in the chilly hallways.

Making her way down the hall, Lavinia felt a cool breeze and spotted an open door leading outside. Quietly, she made her way over and saw someone standing on the balcony, staring out at the city miles away. A stream of smoke could be seen from the person's hand, and the smell of nicotine burning filled her nose.

"Smoking is a nasty habit," she said, causing the person to jump and turn around.

"So is sneaking up on an old man," Chris shot back, grinning slightly.

Lavinia made her way outside, pulled the robe around her tightly, before settling against the stone railing. The stars twinkled above them, as a few stray clouds began to roll in. The trees shook through each gust of wind, as the sounds of the city filtered dully through the air.

"Don't you ever miss it?" she asked, watching the lights flicker. "Being out there in the open? Not having a care in the world about what anyone thinks or wants of you?"

Chris took another drag from the cigarette and shrugged, "I've been gone for so long that I hardly miss anything," he said.

Lavinia looked at him and then back out at the skyline, "I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't mean to cause trouble for you and your friends."

"I just don't want anything to happen to you," he told her, finally pulling his gaze away from the city and placing it on her. "This is a dangerous job, Lavinia. The people we're hiding from are very dangerous."

She nodded, "So then we need to find a way to send me back, I guess," she said. Chris went to speak and she shook her head, "No Chris. If they find me it would be bad for you and everyone else," she said. "I'll only get in the way of your work. So it makes sense to send me back."

He sighed, "What about Hikaru?" he asked.

"What about him?"

"Well, it's obvious that he has some sort of feelings for you," he said, eyeing her. "And the same could be said about you."

Lavinia closed her eyes and shook her head, "I'm engaged."

"Not here."

"I'm engaged and that means I'm committed to someone back home," she snapped.

"You mean me?" Chris shot back, making her sigh.

Reaching over, Lavinia plucked the cigarette from his fingers and brought it to her lips. Taking in a puff of the toxic concoction, she blew the smoke out into the wind and sighed.

"Maybe I'm happy," she said with a shrug. "Being engaged to you or whoever he is."

Chris snorted, "I can assure you that I'm a miserable bastard, Lavinia. If your Christopher Pike is anything like me, then you're up shit's creak without a paddle."

Lavinia rolled her eyes, "Maybe you are, but it doesn't mean that he is," she said. "Based on the evidence, I look really happy in that photograph and that statement about my death sounded sincere."

She then shrugged, "Maybe we really loved each other," she said, before taking another drag from the shortened cigarette stub.

Chris took it from her and took another drag, before flicking it out into night. Lavinia watched as it tumbled down towards the ground, before disappearing into the dark.

"Maybe," he finally said, with a nod. "But I guess we'll never know since we didn't get married."

She sighed, "It's so unfair," she sighed, shaking her head. "I hate not knowing what happened so that I can go back and avoid it," she said. "It kills me that I suddenly die and it leaves an entire life of possibilities and adventures that are to be had."

Chris shrugged, "Think of it this way," he started. "I'm old to begin with, Lavinia. How long did you think we'd be married for?" he asked.

"How old are you?" she asked, frowning.

"I turned forty-nine last month."

Lavinia shrugged, "That's not so old," she said, shrugging. Chris looked at her and she shook her head, "What? It's not! I bet there are loads of girls younger than me, who've married much older men."

Chris snorted, "Is that supposed to make me feel any better?" he asked.

She giggled, "I hope so," she said. "I do hate seeing you look so sad. Ever since I showed you what I found, you've changed."

He nodded, "It's not everyday when you get the news that you're engaged to a younger woman. Let alone to one that's fallen through time and has no idea who she is or where she's from."

"Well until we find out all of that, we can make up a story!" she said, eyes wide and a smile on her face. "Now, where do you think we're from? According to my death certificate, I was born in the eighteen hundreds. The last two digits were marked out as well, so we can't know for sure what year I've died in," she started. "I bet you're an actor or someone really famous, who does something extraordinary," she said, staring off into the night sky with a dreamy expression on her face. "Maybe you save homeless pets and spend Sunday afternoons visiting hospitals and seeing ill children."

Chris snorted, "Or maybe, I'm a filthy rich entrepreneur and all of my clients are well known in the social circle and big companies. Maybe I hate dogs and I have a collection of exotic reptiles and birds?"

Lavinia laughed, "Reptiles? That's disgusting!" she scoffed. "No, no. I've got it," she said, shaking her head. "You deal with the rich- maybe real estate or some sort of textile factory. But you secretly hate it and wish for a normal life, in which you do everything for yourself. No one to tell you what to do or who to meet. How to act in public and who to converse with, because half the people you do talk to are awful," she said, as Chris grew quiet.

"And maybe someone- your advisors or even your own father- forced you to settle down after years of being a bachelor. Maybe that's how you met me! I bet someone in my family was a client and some how they got more than what they originally sought, and it lead to you asking for my hand in marriage," she said, as the smile that once graced her face, wilted. "Maybe," she said, looking at him. "Maybe you were forced into asking for my hand in marriage, just like I was because it was expected of me."

Chris shook his head, "I think we should stop talking about this for a few days," he said.

Lavinia stepped away from the railing and nodded, "I'm sorry. I think I should go now," she said, before turning on her heel and running back inside.

"Lavinia! Lavinia wait!" Chris shouted, as she ran into the endless maze of corridors.

**Dublin Ireland. 1908.**

"Lucy Murphy, Ma'am."

The fifteen year old stood in front of the rich woman, dressed in her best Sunday gown with her hair pulled back into a bun at the base of her neck.

"Miss Murphy, I was given a recommendation by Lady Ashby and she insists that you are the best," Edith said, as she stirred the sugar in her teacup. "But I did not expect her to send a fifteen year old to watch over my eight year old."

Lucy cleared her throat, clutching her trembling hands together tightly. "I'm sorry, Ma'am. Lady Ashby was to send my sister, Arianna in my place, but she has fallen ill," she stammered.

_Damn you Arianna! Leaving me here to defend myself and you, when I should speak ill of how ran off with the stable boy after falling into the family way!  
_

Edith stared at her, taking in her full attire. After critiquing her silently, she sighed. "I guess you'll do," she finally said. "But I don't expect you to last more than a week."

She then stood up form the chair and made her way out into the hall, "Mary, could you send her down?"

Ten minutes later, a blur of red and blue came running into the sitting room, skidding to a halt.

"What did I say about running?" Edith asked, as the young child stood still.

"Sorry Mother. I wont do it again," the little girl said, looking down at her shoes.

Edith sighed, "Lucy this is my daughter, " she said, nodding to the child.

Lucy curtseyed before the child, who snickered into her hand, "It's a pleasure to meet you," she said, before standing up straight.

"Well, are you going to introduce yourself to Lucy?" Edith snapped, as the child smothered her giggles.

Lucy wanted nothing more than to slap the woman across the face, yelling at the child for behaving exactly what she was. A child. Lucy didn't want this job, or any job that took place in the homes of the rich. They were all the same. The women gave life and shuffled them off to the women behind closed doors, as they went about and fell into social circles. Children were only created to carry on the family name, not for love and cherishing. That's what separated the rich from the poor, along with money and other things.

Dropping her hand from her mouth, the child quickly sobered up and nodded. She then turned to Lucy and gave her a small smile, "I'm Lavinia Rose Watson- Campbell."


	11. Chapter 11

"**The Fridge" Enterprise Station. **

Three days went by, before anyone spoke of Hikaru and Lavinia's sneaking off into the night. Still embarrassed about her conversation with Chris, Lavinia spent the three days nearly alone. She roamed the halls and various rooms, before someone found her wandering. On a Saturday morning, Chris finally had enough and summoned her to his office.

When she arrived, Hikaru was sitting in one of the chairs in front of the desk. For an hour, Chris sternly addressed them about the incident and made them swear that it wouldn't happen again. Afterwards, he dismissed both of them but asked Lavinia to stay for a word. She politely declined and rushed out, ignoring Chris' pleading calls and headed towards the kitchen for lunch.

That is where the others found her, as Jim tried- and failed- to teach her how to cook.

"Just a flick of the wrist and the sandwich will flip over," Jim said, as he stood behind her. "Like th- NO!"

Lavinia yelped and dropped the pan on the stovetop, as the grilled cheese landed on the burner. Jim quickly took the spatula from her hand and tried to shovel up the sandwich before a potential fire could start. Once the ruined sandwich was placed back into the pan, Jim turned to look at her.

"Sorry.." she winced, wringing her hands together. "I told you I was hopeless."

Jim sighed, "You're not hopeless," he said, patting her shoulder. "Maybe would should start with something that doesn't include the stove, hm?" he asked.

She shrugged, "I think my cooking adventures are done for today, to be honest."

"Then I'll make us some sandwiches," he said, picking up the frying pan. "I think Christine brought us some cold-cuts."

Lavinia took a seat at the counter and watched as Jim got to work, pulling all the necessary items out from the refrigerator and cabinets. He then stood across from her and started opening packages.

"Why do you guys call this place "the fridge"?" she asked, as Jim set four pieces of bread out onto the plates.

"Because it's always cold in here," he said, slathering mayo onto the pieces. "Like a fridge."

She wanted to laugh at how silly it sounded, but only nodded. Glancing over at the doorway, Lavinia leaned closer and placed her elbows onto the counter.

"Did you find anything else in your research? On the stuff Chris and I showed you?" she asked quietly.

Jim opened a pack of cheese before setting it down on the counter, "I did find out a little about your family," he said, making her gasp. "Your father for instance-Charles- was the head of Campbell industries, producing automobiles. For twenty years, after he became the sole owner of the company, it was the biggest automobile giant on the East Coast."

Lavinia nodded, "I can remember him being away all the time, traveling here and there to obtain permits and clients," she laughed bitterly. "He always had to buy my love, since he couldn't be there all the time to save me from my own mother."

"Your mother, Edith," he stated, as she nodded. "Yeah, she has a colorful record. Originally from a wealthy family in France, she had one child- you- and was notorious for her strict parenting. Do you remember anything about growing up?" he asked.

She frowned, "Bits and pieces. I remember her yelling most of the time and forcing me to take ballet and piano lessons."

Jim nodded, "Sometimes when we time travel, our brains tend to grow through periods of stress. Since yours was unexpected, with no idea what triggered it, your memory was temporarily altered. But it doesn't explain why your records are all marked out and why I couldn't find a decent amount of information about your family," he said.

Lavinia sighed, "What about Chris? Did you find anything about him?" she asked.

"He was the son of Jonathan William Pike and Nora Alana Pike nee Cranston. His father was into politics as well as the economy, building up a empire for textiles. Steel, Copper, Iron. From what I could gather, Chris was a bachelor up until after his forty-ninth birthday.

"He told me he turned forty-nine last month!"

Jim nodded, "Yeah, he did. And he bitched the entire week leading up to his birthday," he sighed. "Supposedly his father was very ill- cancer they believed- and he gave his son the ultimatum. Marriage or nothing."

Lavinia grew quiet after this, watching as Jim finished making their sandwiches. He cut them in half, before setting the plate in front of her.

"Anyways, I need to do more research before I can fully settle on what we need to know. If you remember anything, write it down and we can piece it all together with what I find."

**Sitting Room. East Wing. Enterprise Station.**

After a quick lunch with Jim, Lavinia wandered into one of the sitting rooms. Searching the shelves, she pulled out a worn copy of a botany directory. Taking a seat near the windows, Lavinia settled the book onto her lap and pulled it open. Twenty minutes into her reading of various wildflowers, the door opened.

"Ah, there you are."

Looking up, Lavinia was surprised to see Leonard and Chris coming into the room. She briefly made eye contact with Chris, and quickly turned back to her reading.

"Can I help you?" she asked coolly, turning the page.

Leonard rolled his eyes, "Get up," he ordered. "We have a trip to take."

She frowned, "I'm not going anywhere with you, Doctor McCoy," she drawled. "You're too dangerous to travel with and I don't trust you."

Chris snickered as Leonard scowled, "Either you get up out of that chair, or I make you."

Lavinia looked up form her book, "I'd like to see you try," she shot back. "Putting your hands on a lady. Such a disgusting thing to do," she tskd.

Chris sighed, "Lavinia," he said. Their eyes met again and he nodded, "Please?"

With a frustrated sigh, Lavinia closed the book and stood up. "Fine," she huffed, tossing the book onto the chair. "Where are we going now?"

"We found information that suggests Starfleet started one of the world's most important wars, as well as a shuttling high tech weaponry," Leonard said, as they started out into the hallway.

Lavinia sighed, "If this is a mission on war and politics, I really don't care to witness it."

"Don't worry. I ain't takin' you to talk politics," Leonard snapped.

**London, England. Summer of 1918. **

The trio materialized behind an abandoned building, dressed in proper attire. While Leonard and Chris wore their disguises, Lavinia opted not to wear one, much to Leonard's annoyance. During their preparations, they filled her in on what exactly Starfleet had started. World War I began in the summer of 1914 and would end in the fall of 1918.

"So, what are we looking for exactly?" she asked, as they made their way around the building and to the streets.

"We think there's a meeting being held in building nearby. Chris and I are going to sneak in and see what we can hear. You will stay across the street and wait for us."

Lavinia rolled her eyes, "You brought me here to stand on a sidewalk?" she hissed.

Leonard ignored her and picked up the pace, leaving her and Chris behind as they struggled to keep up. They found their destination a few minutes later, and organized an escape route if things went wrong.

"If you hear or see anything out of the ordinary, you run." Chris said, as she stood on the sidewalk. "Do not interfere and try to help. Just run until you find yourself alone and go back."

Lavinia nodded, "But nothing will happen, right?" she asked.

Chris didn't answer her, as he pulled the top hat further down onto his head. "Chris, please."

"Don't bring anyone back to help," he said, before he and Leonard crossed the street.

Standing on the sidewalk, with vendors and the poor, Lavinia watched as they disappeared into the alleyway of the building. The idea of something going wrong make her stomach twist in fear. Whatever Starfleet did or planned on doing, was serious. It made her realize that no matter what they did, there would always be a risk to find out their plans. Starfleet wasn't the company the general public had believed in the future. It was Starfleet that caused many of the worlds problems, both now and in the future.

After an hour had passed, the streets became lively with automobiles and civilians. There was no sign of Leonard and Chris, making her worry. Dark clouds began to roll in, signaling the coming of a storm. Lavinia could remember excessive rain and drab skies in this city. Looking around at the sadness and fear that the people carried with them, Lavinia couldn't picture the sun shining at all in this city.

"Penelope!"

Lavinia turned her head and sighed in relief, as Chris and Leonard ran across the street, dodging cars and people as they went. She was about to open her mouth, when Chris grabbed her by the hand and dragged her away from the sidewalk. Leonard was close behind them, as they walked quickly.

"What's happening?" she asked, as they pushed through crowds.

"Dammit! They saw us!" Leonard hissed, as he and Chris kept looking back over their shoulders.

Lavinia gasped and yelped when they made a sharp turn at the corner, diving into a larger crowd.

"Just stay close together," Chris said. "If we get separated, try to find a vacant location and get back home."

They continued to walk, bumping into those who were headed to work or the markets. Lavinia gripped Chris' hand tightly, trying to keep up as they moved. Every few feet, she turned back to make sure Leonard was behind her. He would nod at her, silently telling her that everything was fine and that he was right behind them.

"Let's go there! Maybe we can cut across to the other side of the city," she said, nodding to the entrance of a park.

Chris nodded and Lavinia reached behind her, holding her hand out for Leonard. One he gripped it, she managed to pull him closer as they reached the sidewalk. Looking both ways, the trio ran across and into the park.

"Do you think they're still following us?" she asked, as they looked back.

Leonard sighed, "I don't know and I sure as hell don't want to stay and find out!"

"What happened?" she asked, as they slowed down after a few minutes.

Chris moved closer to a tree that lay close to the path and sighed, "They saw us peeping through one of the windows."

"A window?" she asked, looking at them both. "Really? Even I know that spying outside a window is basically asking for capture. And you two are trained specialists in time travel?" she asked, shaking her head.

"You think you're so damn smart? How about you try to figure out a way to gather information when you're stuck in this goddamn era!" Leonard snapped.

Lavinia rolled her eyes, "You have all that fancy stuff back at the station! Surely you could use something small to make it less obvious that you're trying to snoop!" she snapped back.

"ENOUGH!" Chris shouted. "It still isn't safe here and we need to get back before they find us."

They started back on the path again, heading towards the opposite side of the park. Lavinia watched as groups of children ran about, simply unaware of what was going on in their world. That their fathers, uncles and older brothers were off dying for their freedom and safety. That Starfleet was the reason why their lives would forever be changed. As she watched the children, Lavinia tried to remember her own childhood. It wasn't anything like this, running free in a park, oblivious to the world around her.

"We're almost there, "Chris said, breaking her out of her own thoughts. "We can try to cut into one of those abandoned lots."

Just as they passed a shady tree, Lavinia heard a voice that stopped her dead in her tracks. Leonard didn't realize that she stopped so quickly and bumped into her, cursing.

"Dammit! What is wrong with you?" he snapped.

Lavinia heard the voice again and searched desperately at her surroundings. She moved off the path and headed across the lawn, Chris and Leonard running after her.

"Vinia! Chris hissed, as he reached out to grab her by the wrist. "What are you doing?"

"Shh, do you hear that?" she asked, holding her hand up.

"Darling! Come along now!"

Lavinia gasped as her eyes filled with tears, "I know that voice."

She managed to pull her arm out of Chris' grasp and started towards the bushes, ignoring the calls from both of them. She weaved through them, ignoring the branches that caught in her hair and dress. When she finally cut through to the other side of the park, she spotted a woman several feet away on a worn blanket.

"Come now, darling!" the woman said, holding her arms out to the little boy that ran towards her.

She knew that voice. And the vibrant red hair, which now showed signs of grey, piled up into a bun. The woman stood up, scooping the boy into her arms.

"What the hell are you doing?"

Leonard was behind her now, grasping her arm in his hand, trying to pull her back. The woman heard the commotion and turned around quickly to see her intruders, and gasped suddenly.

Lavinia felt her heart stop and Leonard gasped as well, cursing under his breath. Chris appeared at her side a few second later, glaring at them, before turning his attention to the woman and child.

"Mother?"

At first, Lavinia thought she heard an echo, but realized her own voice wasn't deep and rich with a Southern accent. Lavinia and Leonard looked at each other, both confused and freaked out.

"Lavinia? Is- is that you?" Edith asked, setting the little boy down.

The child didn't like this and began tugging at her skirt, "Mummy. Mummy I want up!" he cried.

Edith shook her head, "Shh, Len," she whispered, before turning her gaze back to Lavinia. "Darling? Are you really here?" she asked.

Lavinia couldn't breathe or form a proper sentence, as tears filled her eyes. Shaking her head, she backed up into the bushes.

"I'm sorry. I think you have me confused with someone else," she managed, before turning back into the foliage.

"LAVINIA! COME BACK!" Edith shouted, as Chris and Leonard went after her. "COME BACK!"

Lavinia couldn't hear anything but her own heart beating in her ears and the heels of her shoes, pounding on the cobblestones. She could barely hear Chris and Leonard shouting her name, as she ran towards the exit of the park.


	12. Chapter 12

**Lavinia's Room. Enterprise Station. 2023**

Lavinia sat against the pillows of her bed, knees up to her chin and arms wrapped tightly around them. Shortly after her discovery of Edith and her son, and the mad dash she made across the park, Leonard and Chris managed to catch up to her and pulled her into an alley. As soon as they materialized in Scotty's lab, she took off running and didn't look back once.

She showered and changed, tying to make sense of what she saw. It was her mother in the park, playing with a small child. Lavinia couldn't remember her mother ever playing at the park with her, or at all for that matter. But what shocked her the most was Leonard calling Edith his mother as well, something Lavinia didn't remember in her own memories.

There was a knock on the door before it opened and Leonard stood in the doorway, looking uncomfortable and shocked.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

Lavinia nodded and Leonard stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. He then made his way across the room and sat on the edge of her bed, sighing with exhaustion.

"So.." he started, running his hands through his hair. "That was awkward."

She nodded, "Yes. It was."

The silence between the two was filled with tension, as they sat on the bed. Lavinia shifted against the pillows and sighed, while Leonard looked at the dark carpets on the floor.

"I don't remember havin' a sister," he said, glancing up at her. "And I sure as hell don't remember growin up in London."

"What do you remember?" she asked, stretching her legs out and moving closer. "How could my mother be yours?"

Leonard sighed, "I remember growin' up in Georgia with my mother and my nanny, Eugenia. My daddy died when I was a baby or so I was told, though now I don't know how true that is."

Lavinia nodded, "You couldn't have been more than four years old in the park," she said, shaking her head. "Maybe you were born after I died."

"Wait, you actually died?" he asked, frowning.

She nodded, "I found some things about who I am, like what happened to me or will- it's so utterly confusing."

"What happens to you?" he asked, as she pulled the blanket over her knees. "What happens to you that I never know your existence until now?"

Lavinia sighed, "From what I gathered, I drown and die," she said, looking down at her lap. "I'm also engaged to be married."

"To who? Aren't you a little young to be gettin' married?" he asked.

She laughed, "I think it was common in my time, Len."

He shrugged, "I don't care if it's common or not! You are too young to be gettin' married and being in the family way."

Lavinia huffed and rolled her eyes, "Fine, fine. I apologize for badmouthin' your culture," he said, shaking his head. "Who are you engaged to anyways? A rich lawyer or somethin'?"

She looked down at her lap and muttered a name under her breath, make him frown and inch closer. "What was that? I can't decipher mumbling."

"Chris."

"Chris? Chris who?"

Lavinia rolled her eyes, "Christopher Pike."

Leonard stared at her for a moment, his expressions changing from confused to angry to shocked all at once. Then he startled her by letting out a barking laugh, slapping his hands on his thighs.

"That's a good one!" he exclaimed. "Engaged to Chris!"

She winced, "I-I'm not kidding, Leonard," she said. "We're engaged to be married."

The laughing came to a stuttering stop as he looked at her, "Seriously?" he asked, as she nodded. "Oh my god. Does that make him my brother-in-law?"

Lavinia shook her head, "No, because we never get married. I died remember?"

Leonard nodded, "Jesus Christ. This is ten kinds of crazy!"

"Really? Because I was going to say that all of this was perfectly sane," she joked. "I guess you're really my brother, huh?"

He shrugged, "Maybe. The only way we'll really know is through a few medical exams," he said. "But I think the fact that I just saw a four year old version of my self with our mother.. well, that basically answers all of our questions."

Lavinia nodded in agreement, "It's just strange. How can you be my brother if you were four years old in nineteen eighteen? Unless you're really just a descendant of that child or-" her eyes went wide. "Oh!"

"What?" he asked, watching as she covered her mouth.

"Starfleet has secretly pulled people out of their own time periods and brought them to the future, right?" she asked, as he nodded. "What if.. what if they did this to you?" she asked.

"How could they do that? I was born in nineteen eighty-six in Atlanta Georgia. Not nineteen-twelve in London, England!"

Lavinia shook her head, "Starfleet changes identities remember? Hikaru said that they used time travel to alter the future. Starting wars and killing important people before they could succeed in their quests. Pulling those who were deemed important and changing their lives for their own benefit!" she exclaimed.

"What the hell would they want with me? I'm a damn doctor!" he snapped.

"That's just it, Leonard! What if you had something to do with a medical achievement in your real time and Starfleet wanted to use you for their time?" she asked.

Leonard thought about it, muttering to himself. "But what the hell do they want me for? Before Starfleet contacted me I was working in a hole in the wall hospital in India," he said.

Lavinia shook her head, "I don't know. My medical knowledge isn't that advanced as yours," she said.

"I don't like the idea of me bein' pulled out of one time period and into another with an altered memory!" he exclaimed. "That shit is creepy and reads like a science-fiction novel."

"You think I enjoy this? Having no idea what's going on and then finding out that my mother had a child that I don't even know?" she asked.

Leonard sighed, "Sorry Vina. I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he said.

She nodded, "I know," she sighed, frowning at him. "Are you still going to be a rude son of a bitch to me?" she asked.

"Are you going to be a pain in the ass?" he shot back.

"Maybe," she shrugged. "Don't siblings do that to each other? Annoy the ever living daylights out of one another?"

Leonard sighed, "God help me."

**Observation deck. Enterprise Station. Balcony.**

Shortly after their conversation, Leonard and Lavinia agreed to keep their news quiet until further research was conducted. They agreed to tell Jim since he knew about Lavinia and Chris' engagement and her impending death. Heading down to the kitchen, they found it empty, which was uncommon for eight in the evening. They wandered around until they reached the Balcony.

Lavinia shivered at the thought of heading back out onto the balcony, after her embarrassing talk with Chris a few days previously. Laughter and chatter could be heard coming from outside, as the two stepped out.

"What's all this?" Leonard asked, as a small table was set up with an on-going card game.

Jim looked up and smiled, "Hey! You're just in time!" he said, waving them over.

Leonard moved forward while Lavinia stood near the doorway, watching her surroundings. Pavel, Scotty and Jim were in the middle of what looked like Poker, while Chris and Hikaru stood at one end of the balcony talking quietly. She made her way over to them, wrapping the shawl around her shoulders tightly.

Hikaru looked over at her and smiled, "Hey you," he chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Are you cold?" he asked.

Lavinia shook her head and glanced up at Chris, slightly uncomfortable with the sudden physical contact. Chris managed a small smile and nod, as Hikaru continued their conversation. Lavinia stood next to him, staring out into the night sky with a million thoughts tumbling through her head.

"Lavinia?"

She turned back to look at Hikaru, who wore a look of worry. "You okay?" he asked.

Lavinia managed a small smile and nodded, "Fine."

He grinned and turned back to the rest of the group, "I think we should sing "Happy Birthday" now," he said, glancing down at his watch. "Any longer and the guest of honor will be too far gone to remember this."

"Who's birthday is it?" she asked.

"Scotty's of course!" Jim exclaimed, clapping the Scotsman on the shoulder. "Hitting the big four-oh!"

Scotty glared at him, "Shut ye mouth!" he snapped.

Lavinia giggled, "Happy birthday, Scotty. You don't look a day over thirty."

He blushed, "Thank ye. That's a lovely thing ta say, Lass," he said, before looking down at his cards.

She nodded and watched as the close-knit group of friends gathered around, holding glasses of various liquors. A glass appeared before her and she looked up to see Chris, smiling softly at her.

"Go on," he said, nodding to the glass. "It should help with the shivering."

She gasped and he nodded, "You're shaking like a leaf, Lavinia. And it's only seventy degrees out here."

Taking the glass from him she placed it up to her lips, wincing at the aroma, before tilting her head back and taking one gulp. Sputtering, Lavinia began to cough as Chris took the glass from her.

"Whoa! Easy, easy!" he said, patting her lightly on the back. "You all right?" he asked, as she gasped.

Lavinia nodded, "Wh-what is that?" she asked, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

"Brandy. It's better than the vodka and beer those idiots are drinking," he said, nodding to the group at the table.

"Water. I want water," she gasped, as the alcohol overwhelmed her sense.

Chris nodded and walked her towards the door, "We'll be right back," he said, as another round of poker began.

When no one acknowledged them, Chris sighed and led her into the warmth of the station.


	13. Chapter 13

**The Blue Room. Enterprise Station. Third Floor.**

A month passed and there was little improvement in the research. While the others focused on the issues with Starfleet, Lavinia, Jim, Chris and Leonard focused on the connection they had with each other. Jim kept his word and silently worked their case on the side, while hacking into mainframes and personal computers of top Starfleet Officials.

"How the hell can I work with a memory you had about a red room?" Jim asked.

Lavinia came to him quickly one morning, after having a spotty dream about waking up in a red room. She did what he asked and made sure to write down every detail, before brining it to him.

"If you bring information like this to me again, I swear to god!" he warned, shoving the paper into an unmarked file. "This wont help us at all!"

One evening, a week after her ambush with Jim, Chris decided that everyone would have the night off to relax. With small progress on the continuing case of Starfleet's issuing of weapons throughout the decades, everyone was on edge. Nyota spent most of her time holed up in her room or off traveling alone. Whenever she and Lavinia crossed paths- in the hallways or the kitchen- the older woman never failed to shoot her with a withering glare.

"What are we watching?" Lavinia asked, as she curled up on the edge of the sofa.

Hikaru shrugged, "We could watch basic cable?" he suggested, as the channels flipped by in a blur.

Lavinia yawned, "How about something funny? We could use a bit of laughter in this place."

While they lounged on the sofa, Pavel and Scotty played a game of pool in the corner. Jim threw himself across an armchair, looking just as tired as Lavinia.

"Do you like shit, too?" he asked, as Hikaru flipped through channel after channel.

Lavinia nodded, "Is it normal to feel like this?" she asked, resting her head against the arm of the sofa. "I've never been this tired before in my life."

Jim yawned, "Maybe it was the distance? I don't know to be honest," he said, shifting around in the seat. "Too damn tired to care."

Earlier in the day, Lavinia and Jim went undercover as a young married couple in the fifties. They originally set out to find Jackson Devenshire, a client of Starfleet and spy for the Soviets. Why Jim insisted they needed to be married, Lavinia didn't know, but she went along with it. Instead, they lost Devenshire in Chicago and came back with nothing to report.

Meanwhile, Chris and Leonard sat quietly in the far corner by the fireplace, a bottle of scotch and a game of chess between them. Chris was trying to focus on his next move, when the girlish giggle filtered across the room. He glanced over at the sofa and watched as Lavinia laughed at something on the television, while curled up and drowsy.

"Chris."

He blinked and turned his attention back to Leonard, who watched him carefully. "It's your turn."

Chris nodded and quickly moved one of the pieces, only to lose it to Leonard. He sighed and picked up his glass, washing down the stress that gripped his body.

"What's wrong with you? You've been actin' funny and you're always distracted," Leonard whispered.

"I'm fine, McCoy," he snapped, twisting the cap off the bottle and pouring himself a helpful serving into his glass. "Your move."

McCoy huffed, "Don't bullshit me, Pike," he snapped back, moving his piece across the board. "You're not the only one that's had their share of life alterin' information."

"At least you didn't find out that somewhere in the past, you were engaged to a young woman and expected to marry her for social status."

"No, I just found out that I'm from god knows where and that my entire life has been a lie so far," McCoy retorted. "Oh, and that I have a sister- whom I've never met or heard about."

Chris sat back in his seat and sighed, glancing over at the couches again. By now, Jim was snoring lightly in the armchair; limbs sprawled out all over. Hikaru was focused on some awful reality show about singing, laughing quietly to himself. Chris' gaze then moved to Lavinia and he couldn't help the small smile that graced his own face. With her head resting on the arm of the couch, Lavinia was on her side with her knees up to her chest. One arm was draped across her stomach, while the other was up by her head. Even in sleep she was lovely, her face relaxed and ever so peaceful.

"I think you like her."

He tore his gaze from Lavinia's sleeping form and looked back at Leonard, "What?" he asked, frowning.

Leonard sighed, "You like her. I bet you even liked her before you found out that you two were engaged," he said.

Chris shook his head, "That's a big assumption to make, McCoy."

He shrugged, "Yeah and? I'm a doctor, Chris. Part of my job is giving my opinions about certain things," he said.

"Even if I did like her it wouldn't matter," Chris said, picking up his glass.

"And why do you say that?" Leonard asked, refilling his own glass. "Too chicken shit to tell her?"

Chris rolled his eyes, "No," he replied, earning a look of disbelief from Leonard. "I'm not afraid to tell her a damn thing!" he snapped.

Leonard sighed, "Then what is it, man?"

"Think about Hikaru," he suggested. "It's obvious that he has taken a liking to her, and he practically follows her around all day. He's always making her breakfast, lunch and dinner. Damn kid has stars in his eyes everytime she walks into a room."

Leonard rolled his eyes, "You sound like a teenaged boy, harboring feelings for the popular cheerleader who's also the star quarterbacks girlfriend," he snapped, disgusted at the childish antics of his much older boss. "She's technically your fiancée. Meaning she's tied to you and if she went off with Hikaru, that would be considered cheating."

"Do you always talk out of your ass, McCoy? Or did you save all this up for me?" Chris snapped, making the doctor chuckle.

"Live a little boss," he said. "You've been a mess ever since your incident in Beijing."

**Four hours later. **

Chris picked up the remote and turned the television off, quietly setting the device down on the coffee table. It was a little after two in the morning, as half the crew went off to bed or work. Moving towards the couch, Chris knelt down and carefully shook the sleeping body before him.

"Mmmmhh?"

"Lavinia.. Lavinia, wake up," he whispered, shaking her shoulder lightly.

Green eyes met grey and Chris swore his heart stop, when she gave him a sleepy smile.

"What time is it?" she asked, her voice thick with sleep.

"A little after two," he said, watching as she blinked her tired eyes against the dim light from the lamp nearby. "I'm surprised you slept this long. Jim was snoring like a chainsaw, before Len dragged him off to his room."

She giggled, "I didn't hear anything, which was nice," she said, shifting on the couch. "This couch isn't that comfortable."

He nodded, "I know," he agreed. "Come on, let's get you up and back to your room. You'll thank me in the morning when you don't wake up with a sore back."

Chris stood up and took her hands, pulling her up and off the couch. Lavinia wobbled a bit, her muscles waking up slowly from being cramped up on the sofa. Once she regained her footing, she let Chris lead her out into the hallway and back to her room.

It was a quiet walk, as they moved past the other dorms. Out of respect for those who were sleeping, Lavinia made sure to walk quietly. The last thing she needed was an angry, sleep deprived time traveler coming out to scream at her. Reaching the door to her room, Lavinia placed one hand on the doorknob and turned around to face Chris.

"Thank you for walking me back," she said quietly. "And for waking me up."

He nodded, "You're welcome."

They stood quietly by the door staring at each other, both trying to picture how they met in her time. According to his statement after her death, they'd only met once. And yet he loved her. _Loved her. _After one meeting, the man that Chris hardly known, fell in love with a society girl. It was all confusing and stressful at once, trying to understand his feelings now towards the woman who came crashing into his life.

"Well, I guess I should get going," she said, breaking his thoughts.

Chris nodded, "Me too," he nodded. "Work calls."

Lavinia laughed quietly, "You spend too much time working, Chris. You deserve a break too," she said.

"Somebody has to keep the boys in line. I can't leave that up to Jim. You saw his office."

"I did, yes," she made a face. "You should demand that he cleans up after himself, being the boss and all."

Chris snorted, "It would be a cold day in hell."

The silence fell between them again, as the giddiness died down. Lavinia blinked once, before stepping forward onto her toes and placing her lips against his. Chris froze at first, shocked at her sudden move. He then relaxed and wrapped one arm around her waist, kissing her back. Immediately, images from another life flashed before his eyes.

_Sitting in an old fashioned automobile, greeting an older gentleman in a parlor. Lavinia dressed in a lovely gown, escorted into the room by her maid. The two of them alone on the small settee, talking quietly. Him asking her a question- most likely her hand in marriage. A wide smile on her face and a nod, before a diamond ring is slipped onto her finger. _

Chris pulled away gasping, as Lavinia let out a shudder.

"What?" she asked, breathing heavily.

He shook his head, "N-nothing."

Lavinia frowned, "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that, " she said quickly. "I don't know what came over me."

Chris squeezed her hand, "It's alright, Lavinia," he assured her. "I'm not complaining."

She blushed, "I'll see you tomorrow." Turning, Lavinia opened the door to her room and stepped inside, before turning around to look at him. "Goodnight Chris."

He nodded, "Goodnight."

The door closed with a soft _Click, _and Chris sighed. Running his fingers through his hair, he turned on his heel and made his way towards the elevator that would take him to his office. Not once, as he and Lavinia stood in the hall, did they notice the figure standing at the opposite end of the hallway, covered by total darkness. Watching and waiting.

_Soon. _

The figure then turned and made it's way further into darkness and disappeared. Leaving no trace that it was ever there to begin with.


	14. Chapter 14

**Enterprise Station. The Fridge.**

Three months went by in a blur, as Lavinia slowly grew accustomed to the lifestyle that she was thrown into. Holidays came and went as she experienced her first Halloween and Thanksgiving, which were done so differently from her time. Instead of talk about politics and gossiping of those in her social circle, Lavinia was exposed to laughter and silly antics. Hikaru showed her how to cook various dishes for the feast, from stuffing to candy yams. Jim showed her how to peel potatoes and she watched as Leonard and Chris bickered over how to make the turkey that year. Overall, the experience was refreshing and it felt nice to be part of a conversation that wasn't so stifling.

"This smells funny."

It was Christmas Eve and the crew took a break from research to enjoy the holiday. Scotty was the one to break it to her that they hardly celebrated the blasted holiday, but Jim, Hikaru and Pavel, begged Chris to have a small party.

"_They wanted to make this your best Christmas, Lass."_

"This is my Aunt Mara's recipe for Egg Nog," Jim said, nodding to the tumbler he set before her. "It's a _big _hit at family parties."

She eyed the glass before her, glancing at Leonard and Hikaru. "If I die," she started, earning an eye roll from Len. "Can I come back as a ghost to haunt this place?"

Hikaru chuckled as she smiled at them sweetly, "I wouldn't mind a little haunting. Maybe Jim will join you after everyone kills him for killing you."

Leonard scowled at them, "That's not funny!" he snapped.

Jim nodded, "Yeah! That's not funny!" he agreed. "I would never give you anything to purposely harm you, Lavinia!"

She sighed and reached for the glass, "Fine," she grunted, eyeing him severely. "Remember, I will haunt you."

He nodded, "Understood," he waved his hand at her. "Now, drink up!"

With a look of despair, Lavinia tossed the drink back and nearly gagged. She tried to spit it all back into the glass, missing as it landed on her pants. Coughing violently, she pushed the chair back and stood up. Hikaru grabbed her by the arm and walked her to the sink, while Leonard grabbed a towel to clean up the mess.

"You idiot!" he snapped, as Jim laughed hysterically at the reaction he got. "How much Jack did you mix in there this time?"

Jim snorted, "A whole damn bottle," he crackled. "And, a bottle of vodka for an extra kick."

Hikaru turned to look at him, while Lavinia scooped handfuls of water into her mouth. "You're an moron, Jim."

He smiled, "Thank you, thank you. Tomorrow I will have another family recipe waiting for you all," he bowed.

**The Blue Room. Enterprise Station.**

After a nice dinner, the group retired to The Blue Room. A Christmas movie played on the giant television, while Christmas lights twinkled in the windows. A small tree sat in the corner of the room, decorated in a messy haste with mismatched ornaments and tons of streamers and lights. Lavinia felt her heart sink at the sight of all the presents that laid under the tree.

Sitting down on the sofa, she watched as boxes wrapped in shiny paper, were passed about. She was shocked when a few were handed to her, as the boys smiled at her.

"For me?" she asked, when Jim handed her a small box.

He took on the floor by her feet, "Of course!" he said with a frown. "How could we not give you presents?"

By then, everyone was looking at her and she withered slightly from their stares. ** "**I-I didn't get any of you gifts," she said lamely, looking down at her lap.

Scotty shrugged "I don't care. Yer a gift, lass."

The others nodded in agreement, "Christmas just seems a bit brighter this year with you around," Chris said quietly.

Lavinia looked up at him quickly, blushing slightly at his comment. Since their kiss outside her room, Lavinia found herself wondering what her life would've been like with him. In both her time and this time. Hikaru wasn't making matters easier for her, as they traveled together and spent a lot of time together. Over the last few months, Lavinia found herself growing attracted to him. Chris was always busy now, researching the leads on Starfleet and on her case, to have a proper conversation with her. It was safe to say that Lavinia missed his company.

"Now, lets open these bad boys up!" Jim shouted, tearing into the first wrapped gift.

The sound of paper ripping and crunching filled the room, as everyone "oooh'd" and "ahh'd" over their gifts. Many were handmade with leftover scraps from Scotty's workshop. Others were from the various years they'd traveled to over the months. While the others were on their third or fourth gift, Lavinia was still on her first.

Once the wrappings were on the floor by her feet, she pulled the lid to the box up and set it under the box. Pushing the tissue paper away, she gasped. Nestled in the white tissue paper, laid a porcelain music box. She carefully lifted it up and turned it slowly in her hands, taking in the images on the glass.

"Do you like it?"

She turned and looked at Leonard, who watched her nervously. "It plays a song," he said. "You just turn the dial on the bottom."

Lavinia turned the box onto it's side and cranked the turner, until a melody started playing from inside. Her eyes went wide as she recognized the familiar tune, and she smiled.

"I know this song!"

Leonard smiled to himself as she murmured a few lines to herself, "Oh! You beautiful doll. You great big beautiful doll! If you ever leave me how my heart will ache, I want to hug you but I fear you'd break.."

Once the music stopped, Lavinia set the box down and turned to him. "It's wonderful," she said, smiling.

He nodded, "Good," he ran his fingers through his hair. "I didn't know what else to get you. I don't know what to get for a girl, let alone my sister."

Lavinia surprised him by reaching over to hug him with one arm, "It's the best gift I've ever received, Len. I will treasure it forever."

He blushed and mumbled a few words before turning back to his own gifts, while she did the same. By the end of it, she had several books, her own PADD, a pretty blanket from Christine and other gadgets.

"Now," Scotty started, "I programed that silly game you keep playing on everyone's PADD's. Now ye can play it on yer own and stop stealin' everyone else's."

She blushed, "Are you mad that I beat your high score?" she asked, earning a few chuckles.

Scotty blushed and shook his head, "Not at all! I let ye beat me!"

Afterwards, the group broke apart to clean up the mess and to settle on watching holiday films. A few went back to the kitchen to get food and drinks, as the others argued playfully over a movie to watch. Lavinia set her gifts on a table near the wall, and peered out into the hallway. On the balcony, she spotted Chris standing outside looking out at the city.

Far to many times did she found him there, and it always led to an awkward conversation that brought sadness and set their minds with mixed feelings. Pulled the blanket out of the box, Lavinia shook it out before wrapping it around her and made her way across the hall and outside.

"Why aren't you inside? It's freezing out here," she asked, closing the door behind her.

"I just needed some air," he replied, as the wind picked up. "Holidays can get to be too much."

Lavinia nodded as she came up next to him, leaning against the rough stones of the railing. "Scotty told me that they begged you for a celebration."

"They did."

She looked out at the shimmering lights of the city, "But you didn't want to."

Chris sighed, "I did," he said. "I do want to celebrate holidays again. It's nice having everyone all together and celebrating another year of good health," he insisted.

Lavinia looked at him, "But?"

"I don't want to give them false hope that everything's alright," he said, turning to look at her. "Things are changing, Lavinia. We're getting closer and closer to blowing Starfleet out of the dark and when we do.." he trailed off.

Reaching out, Lavinia rested her hand on his. "But think about what it'll do for all of you," she said. "It'll set you free. You can finally move on and go back out into the world and rejoin. You can see your families and be able to go out without wearing a disguise!"

Chris shook his head and she continued, "You can live in a big house and have neighbors, instead of hiding in the woods. Maybe you could run Starfleet and make it the company it's supposed to be!"

"I don't want to run Starfleet!" he shouted, making her jump. "I don't want to be part of that goddamn company after what it did to me. To all of us."

She nodded, "So, start your own. Time travel for whatever reason you see fit. Or retire and move somewhere warm."

Chris looked at Lavinia as she stood before her, clutching the ivory blanket tightly around her shoulders and shivering slightly in the December air.

"There's another reason why you didn't want to celebrate anything this year, isn't there?" she asked.

When he didn't answer right away she pressed him for more, "Tell me, Chris."

"I couldn't bear the thought of celebrating," he started, looking down at the worn stones of the balcony. "With the thought of you leaving."

She closed her eyes and bit the inside of her cheek, "Maybe I won't leave, Chris."

"Maybe you will. It's only a matter of time before we find out who you are and how it all plays out," he said.

"Stop it."

"Christ Lavinia! Did you really think you could stay here forever? It's only a matter of time when all of this happiness ends and we lose you forever!"

"STOP IT!" she screamed, shutting him up quickly. "Just.. STOP!"

Turning her back on the city, Lavinia stared at her reflection in the glass on the doors and shook her head. Chris rested his hip against the rail and sighed, running his hand down his face.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

She closed her eyes and turned her face away from him, "I wish everyone would stop talking about me going back," she hissed. Lavinia then turned back to face him, "I don't want to go back."

Chris shook his head, "You have to, Vinia."

"Leonard gets to stay! He's not even from this time!" she shouted. "Why does he get to stay when I have to go back? How is that fair?"

"Because!" he shouted back.

"That's a load of garbage and you know it! You just want me to go back to die!"

Chris grabbed her by the arms and shook her, "You have to go back because it's not safe here!" he snapped.

She shuddered, "Safe?" she asked, as he loosened his grip on her.

"So drowning is safer than living here?" she hissed. "You're an idiot Christopher Pike. A goddamn idiot!"

Lavinia then pulled out of his grasp and ran to the door, stepping back into the warmth and leaving Chris out in the cold.

**Lavinia's room.**

Lavinia set the music box on the table by her bed, and ran her fingers across the top. She then turned the blankets down and fluffed the pillows, before removing her dressing gown. Just as she was about to climb into bed, a soft knock on the door stopped her. Frowning, Lavinia dropped the blankets and made her way across the room and pulled the door open.

She was surprised and confused when she greeted thin air. Poking her head out, she looked up and down the hall and saw that it was deserted. Ready to turn back into the room, a small white box on the floor caught her eye. Bending down, Lavinia picked it up and glanced out into the hall one last time. Stepping back into her room, Lavinia shut the door quietly and made her way back to the bed.

"Hmm, how odd," she said to herself, as she climbed up onto the mattress.

Pulling the gold bow, Lavinia pulled the top of the box off and picked up the folded piece of paper. Pulling the heavy parchment open, she read the short note quickly.

_I'm sorry. Merry Christmas._

_-C_

She regarded the note for another minute, before looking down at the object in the box. Lavinia picked up the necklace by the chain, resting the heart pendant in the palm of her hand. The necklace wasn't anything fancy, made only of silver and nothing else. The heart laid flat in her hand, cold and smooth. Her fingers traced the etchings of swirls and odd patterns. In it's own unique way, the necklace was strikingly beautiful.

Carefully, she set the necklace back into the box and placed the top back on. She then placed it onto the table next to the music box, along with the note, and turned the lamp off. Settling down into the warmth of her bed, Lavinia pulled the blankets up to her chin and sighed. Tomorrow she would thank Chris for the gift, hoping they could put their argument behind them.


	15. Chapter 15

**New Years Eve. Enterprise Station.**

The temperature dropped several degrees by the time December thirty-first rolled around. The heat cranked through the radiators and extra blankets were thrown onto beds at night, as their occupants huddled under them, curled up tightly to keep the cold out. Lavinia dressed in heavy sweaters and extra wool socks as she moved throughout the station during the day. The change in temperature didn't help the cold spells she always had, making her wish that a fireplace could be installed into her room.

"How about we go somewhere for New Years?" Jim asked that morning, as they sat at the table for breakfast. "I mean, it's cold as fuck here and you can't celebrate the holiday locked up!"

Leonard rolled his eyes, "Yes you can. We've done it before."

"But it fucking sucks!" Jim cried, stuffing a piece of toast into his mouth.

Lavinia gripped the mug of tea tightly in her hands, trying to absorb the warmth that radiated through the glass. "How about somewhere warm?" she asked, before taking a sip.

Jim nodded with a grin, "See? Now that's what I'm talking about!"

Pavel sits up in his seat, "Somewhere tropical?" he pipes in, ignoring the glare that Leonard shoots at him.

"Somewhere with a beach," Hikaru added, high fiving the teen.

"Somewhere with pretty ladies," Jim adds, grinning to himself.

Scotty picks up his cup of coffee, "Somewhere with lots of alcohol."

"Somewhere that's humid to the point that my hair will look like a birds nest!" Lavinia exclaimed, her neatly arranged curls pulled up into elegant twist.

Chris, who sat at the end of the table in silence, finally sighed and nodded. "Fine."

The table, minus Leonard, erupted into cheers and high fives with Chris' answer. But before they could start shooting out ideas of when and where to go, he held up his hand to silence them.

"If any of you wander off, get in trouble or worse," he said, mostly staring at Jim as he said it. "You will be suspended from travel until further notice."

Jim whined, "You always look at me when you say shit like this! I never do anything bad!" he insisted, earning a few eye rolls and shaken heads.

"Just.. humor me, Kirk. I have enough stress in my life and I don't need you adding anymore to it!"

He then excuses them from the table to think of places to go, insisting that they return within the hour with ten options. It's not until they've all left, that he let a distressed sigh out. The feeling of dread filled him, as he stared down at his half empty coffee cup. Something would happen by the time the night was over.

**New Years Eve. 1954. Sydney Australia. **

"_Wearin' those dresses, your hair done up so nice. You look so warm, but your heart is cold as ice…"_

"JIM! Slow down!"

Jim chuckled and twirled Lavinia around again, before pulled her close to him and moving to the beat of the music.

"_I said, Shake, rattle and roll. I said Shake, rattle and roll.." _

The various choices that everyone came up with listed every tropical place below the equator. It was Lavinia's choice for Sydney Australia that one the drawing from a hat, and she picked the year out from another. The moment they stepped into the lively party, the pace of the music and the clothes overwhelmed Lavinia. It was a far change from the twenties and when she looked at Hikaru, she couldn't help but blush. Dressed in a more relaxed and plain suit, he looked very handsome. They all did in fact; as she took in the attire the men wore. She herself wore a more comfortable dress, in the shade of a pale yellow. The dress fell mid-calf, and the sleeves were short and capped. Her hair was sleek and slightly curled, with a wide yellow headband upon her head.

The music ended and the crowd clapped at the band on the stage, before turning into another song. Lavinia and Jim made their way back to the table and sat down.

"That was so much fun!" she exclaimed, as Scotty handed her a drink.

"I'd dance meself but it's too bloody hot!" he said, before tossing back his own drink.

She snorted, not caring how unlady like it was, "Please Scotty! One dance?" she asked, pouting slightly.

He blushed and mumbled, "Fine!" he growled, setting the glass down. "One dance! I'm serious!" he warned, holding his finger up.

She clapped and took a quick sip, before getting up and pulling him back out onto the dance floor. As the evening wore on, the music grew louder and the crowds more rowdier. The liquor flowed more quickly, as midnight approached closer and closer. Lavinia's feet were killing her, as she danced with almost everyone. Finally, after Pavel stepped on her toes one to many times, she finally called a break and made her way back to the table. It was there that she found Hikaru, his suit jacket long gone and the sleeves of his shirt rolled up to his elbows.

"There you are!" she exclaimed, sitting down next to him. "For a moment I thought you'd left."

Hikaru chuckled and shook his head, "No I wouldn't leave," he said, handing her a glass filled with something dark and strongly scented. "It's almost midnight."

She sniffed the drink before taking a tiny sip, wincing at how strong it was. Setting the glass down, Lavinia grabs the cigarette case left behind on the table and picks up the matchbook. Striking it quickly, she lights the stick and inhales, her eyes closing.

"You know," she said, letting a stream of smoke out to the side. "I used to hate smoking."

Hikaru snorts, "Really?" he asked, as she took another puff. "You're pretty good at it," he rubbed the back of his neck. "You make something that is so unhealthy look sexy as hell."

Lavinia blushed as he said this, flicking the ashes over the railing of the deck. A breeze from the ocean picked up and she glanced out at the darkness. The string of lights, weaved around the wooden deck, bob in the breeze. HIkaru reached over and took the cigarette from her and brought it to his lips for a quick drag. She watched as he exhaled, before flicking the butt over the railing.

"Come on," he stood from his seat, holding out his hand. "Let's go for a walk."

They took the steps down onto the sand, walking towards the water. Halfway there, Lavinia stopped to pull her shoes off, carrying them in one hand, as Hikaru held the other.

"Could-" she started, as the shoreline grew closer and closer. "Could we not get to close to the water?" she asked.

Hikaru nodded and steered her towards he left, walking further down the beach. The party on the deck grew smaller and smaller, the music fainter as they walked. They could still hear the shouts and laughter, as the countdown would soon begin to ring in the New Year.

"If I had known that you didn't like the water, I would've taken you to the boardwalk," Hikaru said, as their feet dug into the sand.

Lavinia smiled sadly, "I- I don't know how to swim."

He looked at her, shocked by the sudden revelation, before looking forward. "Oh"

She nodded, "Isn't that silly? I can't swim and I die by drowning?" she asked.

"That's not funny," he said, his voice sharp, as he turned to look at her.

Lavinia nodded, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make fun of it," she said.

Hikaru stopped walking and pulled her close, "The idea of you dying.." he started.

"Hikaru, please…" She didn't want to talk about this. Not here and not tonight, after all the fun she was having. All she wanted was one single day, where her death wasn't brought up in a conversation.

"It drives me crazy, Lavinia," he sighed, reaching up to run his fingers down the side of her face. "The image of you drowning, trying to hold onto your life- It kills me."

Lavinia looked away, watching the waves pounding against the sand in the distance.

"Is it selfish of me to say that I want to keep you here?" he finally asked. "To keep you here with us? With me?"

She turned her head sharply to look at him, eyes wide and mouth slightly parted. Lavinia couldn't even form a sentence, let alone a clear thought. Her daze was cut short, as the distant chant of a countdown filled the tense air.

_Ten. Nine. Eight. _

Hikaru managed a small smile, "Do you want to head back?" he asked.

She shook her head, "No."

_Five. Four. Three._

They stood there, feet deep in the sand as they stared at each other. The waves to one side, and life to the other. As the cheers erupted and the fireworks started, Hikaru pulled her close and she let him. The moment their lips touched, her entire body turned on like a light switch. Every nerve in her body responded with such a strange reaction, one that Lavinia had never felt before. While the kiss with Chris was innocent and light, it was rough and needy with Hikaru. For both of them.

"Lavinia.." he whispered against her lips, before she pulled him close.

"Happy New Year," she whispered, once they pulled apart. She smiled softly as Hikaru placed a soft kiss on her forehead.

"Happy New Year, Lavinia."

**Enterprise Station. January 1****st****. 2024**

Slowly but surely, the crew arrived back to the station after a long night of partying and drinking. Chris, who'd left shorty after midnight, woke up in the middle of the night to get something to drink, when the first group appeared.

Jim stumbled into the kitchen, with the support of Leonard, snorting and laughing in his drunkenness.

"Dammit, Kid!" he snapped, dumping him into a chair.

A few seconds later, Pavel poked his head into the kitchen and gave them a small wave.

"I'm going to bed. Happy New Year," he yawned.

Chris smiled, "Night Pavel," he replied, watching as the teen wandered off into hall.

Leonard brought a glass of water back to the table, and placed it in Jim's hand. "Drink it," he barked. "Stop fuckin' around and drink it!"

"Shut up, Bones!" he slurred, sloshing some of the water down the front of his rumpled shirt.

As they bickered, the next group arrived peeping into the kitchen. Hikaru and Lavinia walked slowly into the kitchen, both looking tired but glowing. Chris looked away as they whispered softly to one another, grabbing glasses filled with water and a box of crackers. They chuckled at Leonard and Jim wrestling to get the contents of the glass down Jim's throat, and Lavinia wished them all a Happy New Year as they walked past Nyota.

"Ugh, everyone reeks of booze," she hissed, making her way to the sink.

Chris sighed, annoyed at her ever-present attitude. "So glad you could join us," he said, as she set her empty coffee mug into the sink.

Nyota pulled a glass out of the cabinet and filled it with water, before turning around to lean against the counter. "I see Miss Lavinia found a new boytoy," she shrugged, taking a sip from her glass. "What a pity for you?"

He gritted his teeth, "Watch your words, Nyota," he warned.

Glaring at him, Nyota drowned the rest of the water before setting the glass onto the counter. "I think it's time for her to leave, Chris. She's outstayed her welcome for far too long!"

"I'm in charge here, dammit!" he snapped, ignoring the look that Leonard was giving him. "Or did you forget?" he asked.

Nyota's eyes went hard and cold as she shook her head, "Yeah and look at what you did!" Her voice was sharp like a knife and heavy with venom. "She gets to stay and I can't bring him back!"

Chris was silent, though the rage ran through his body. Leonard watched them silently, as Jim drooled away on the table, too drunk to notice.

"How is that fucking right, Chris? Huh?" Nyota demanded. "I've asked you countless times if we could go back and try to change everything. To bring him back and you said it couldn't be done! But then this girl shows up and you don't want to send her back? Why?"

"Nyota-" he started, before being cut off again by her.

"What is so great about Miss Lavinia Watson- Campbell, that's keeping her here?" she asked, arms spread out in question. "What, does she give good head? Is that it, Chris? Did she suck your dick for a place to stay in return?"

"That's ENOUGH, Nyota!"

They both looked towards Leonard, who shook slightly with rage. Nyota's eyes were wide with shock, before turning into slits.

"I see," she nodded, before glancing back at Chris. "I guess you're not the only one she's got wrapped around her delicate finger."

They watched as she stormed out of the kitchen, nearly mowing Scotty down in the process. She ignored his protests for an apology, as he stepped into the kitchen.

"What the bloody hell?" he frowned, stumbling into the doorway. "What's got her knickers in a twist?"

Leonard rolled his eyes and looked at Chris, "Are you alright?" he asked.

Chris nodded, "Yeah, I'm fine," he said, though he really wasn't. "Let's get these two into bed before they hurt themselves."

Lifting Jim up by the arm, Leonard followed Chris and Scotty towards the elevator and rode it in near silence- minus the drunken chuckles from Scotty and the moans from Jim.

"Well," Scotty slurred, as they stepped onto out. "That was a lovely holiday!" he stumbled against Chris. "Don't ye think so?"


	16. Chapter 16

**The Fridge. January 20****th****, 2024**

The weeks after New Years, Lavinia noticed a tension between Nyota and the others. She had known from the very beginning that the older woman disliked her, making sure to stare her down with such a glare that it made Lavinia's skin crawl. Two days earlier, Nyota ran off with no word and Lavinia felt more relaxed now that the woman was gone.

It was late- a quarter to three in the morning to be exact- and Lavinia couldn't sleep. It was a nightmare that woke her up in cold sweat, leaving her breathless and trembling. Unable to relax and fall back asleep, Lavinia pulled herself out of a warm bed and threw on her dressing gown and headed down to the kitchen. Quietly, she made a pot of tea and sat at the table drinking it slowly, trying to regain some warmth back into her.

"Oh! I didn't know anyone was still awake!"

Startled, Lavinia quickly looked up and found Scotty standing in the doorway, dressed in winter wear.

"It's alright," she said, as he pulled the cap off his head. "Would you like some tea?" she asked.

Scotty nodded, "Sure. A cuppa wouldn't hurt," he said. "Oh no, sit! I'll get meself a cup."

Once Scotty had a cup of his own, he took a seat across from her and they drank in silence. Setting the cup down, Scotty pulled the old coat off and sat back against the chair with a tired sigh.

"You were out late," she said, watching as he rubbed his tired eyes.

"Went for a walk around the grounds," he said, running his finger along the rim of the glass. "Needed ta think a bit. Clear me head."

She nodded and glanced down at her own glass, "I do that sometimes," she shrugged. "Some nights I wander the halls or I stand out on the balcony when I can't sleep."

"Does it help yeh? The walkin' and standin' so high up in the air?" he asked, as she took a quick sip.

Lavinia shook her head, "Not really. It's gotten worse as the days go on, the restlessness and feeling so cold," she sighed, shifting in the chair. "The nightmares don't help either."

Scotty frowned, "Maybe yeh should talk to McCoy about them. He is a doctor afterall," he said, making her laugh.

"I know," she looked down at the table. "I just don't want to be a bother to everyone. Can't let my problems interfere with your work on Starfleet."

"Personal lives don't end because of Starfleet," he stated. "Even though all of us ran into hiding, we still have them."

Lavinia watched as he drank is tea quietly, "Where did you go?" she asked. "Tonight? You were traveling, weren't you?"

Scotty remained quiet and didn't look at her. "Scotty!" she hissed, tossing a crumpled up napkin. "Do you know something about Starfleet?"

He looked up quickly, "Bloody hell! Do yeh really think I'd keep information from my friends?" he snapped.

She shook her head, "No! No of course not! But you showing up in clothes that are obviously not from this time…makes you wonder," she shrugged.

Scotty sighed, "I travel," he said, pulling the tie around his neck loose. "Every night, after everyone falls asleep, I travel."

"Where do you go?" she asked, settling back into her chair to listen.

"Four years ago, a few of us went off behind Pike's back and traveled," he started. "Settled on London in the summer of forty-eight and we wanted a break from working so much in the labs. So a few of us snuck off in the middle of the night and when we got there, we split up to enjoy the day and planned to meet up before morning in San Francisco."

Lavinia pulled her dressing gown tightly around her body as he continued, "Ah went off down into a market street by meself. Just wanted some time to be alone and for the peace and quiet. That's how ah meet Betty."

"Betty?" she frowned.

Scotty nodded and reached into the pocket of his coat, pulling out a brown leather wallet. He pulled a small photograph out and handed it out to her. Lavinia reached out and took the photograph and turned it around, finding the face of a beautiful woman smiling up at her.

"She's beautiful, Scotty."

He smiled sadly, "She's a war widow- her husband was shot down over Germany in the winter of forty-five," he shook his head. "After ah met her, ah couldn't get her out of me mind. Ah had to see her again, to get to know her and talk to her."

Lavinia set the photo down on the table, "So you kept going back." It wasn't a question, but a simple fact.

"Yes," he nodded. "Ah fell in love with her."

"Oh Scotty.." she whispered. "Can't you bring her here?"

Scotty shook his head, "No. She doesn't know what ah do for real. She thinks that ah travel from Edinburg to London every other day for work," he shrugged.

Lavinia shook her head, "There has to be a way for her to come here though," she said. "Wouldn't it be easier to just bring her here, instead of sneaking off every night?"

"If ah told her what we do for a living.. she would think the worst of me. Call me crazy and demanded that ah never come back."

He sighed, "Besides, it would mess up the everything and ah can't put Betty in the middle of our Starfleet issues."

Lavinia cleared her throat, "Do you hate it that I'm still here and she can't be?" she asked.

Soctty looked scandalized at the thought and quickly shook his head, "Are yeh mad, Lass? Ah don't hate you for something yeh couldn't control!"

She nodded, "If there was a way to bring her here, I would help you," she told him, handing the photograph back. "Everyone deserves to be happy, Scotty."

Scotty picked up the photograph and smiled sadly, "Don't I know it."

**Hikaru's Room. January 31****st**** 2024**

"It's quite proper I assure you," Lavinia laughed, as she stepped into the room.

Hikaru snorted as he closed the door, "But you can hardly breathe in the damn thing!"

Placing a hand on her back, Hikaru steered her towards his bed and they both climbed on top of the heavy comforter. They had returned an hour earlier from a trip, which gave them a decent amount of information on one of the CEO's of Starfleet. Chris was pleased with the report on Richard Barnett and went to inform Jim and Leonard on the next step of their work.

"It kept everything in and flat, Hikaru," she said, as he grabbed the remote off the nightstand. "I remember having dresses that were a size or two smaller than what I could normally wear without a corset."

Hikaru frowned, "That sounds uncomfortable."

She shrugged, "A lot of things were uncomfortable. But I managed it."

Muting the television, Hikaru rolled onto his side and looked down at her, "You looked fetching in that dress today."

Lavinia smiled and blushed, turning to hide her face in the pillows, making him laugh. "You did!" he insisted.

"That poof on the back didn't help with sitting down," she said, shaking her head. "I would've never worn that everyday!"

Hikaru laughed, "You just can't admit that you looked good, can you?" he asked.

Lavinia shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe I can, maybe I can't," she grinned.

Moving closer to her, Hikaru leaned over her and pushed her hair away from her face. Lavinia grew quiet as he looked down at her, his fingers running through her hair.

Closing her eyes with a sigh, Lavinia pushed her head into his palm. "That feels nice," she whispered.

Traveling at a constant rate was taking its toll on her, leaving her tired and achy all over. Leonard assured her that it was normal for a beginner and all the symptoms would wear off after a while. But with each travel, her conditioned worsened and kept her in bed for days afterwards. The constant shivering continued, starting early in the mornings and sometimes lasting all day long. Christine brought extra sweaters and socks for her, but no matter how many layers of clothing she put on, the chill never left. It was as if the cold had settled deep into her bones, holding on for dear life.

Hikaru leaned down and brushed his lips against hers, his hand settling within her hair. Lavinia reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him back.

When they pulled away- both breathless- she smiled, "I like kissing you," she admitted, blushing.

"I like kissing you, too," he nuzzled her cheek with his nose. "Lets forget about the movie and just relax."

Lavinia nodded, "I'd like that."

Turning the television off, Hikaru pulled the folded blanket that was draped at the foot of the bed, and shook it open. Pulling it over them, he settled back down next to her. She scooted closer to his side, sighing as his arms circled around her waist.

"Are you cold?" he asked, as she laid her hands on his arm. "Jesus, your hands are freezing!"

"I'm fine," she said, snuggling her head against his chest. "If I just lay here like this," she pressed her hands against his chest and tucked her feet between his. "I'll be fine."

Hikaru smiled into the messy curls on her head and held her tightly; "I'll keep you warm, Vinia."

She smiled into his chest and closed her eyes, letting her cold and aching body relax in his arms.


	17. Chapter 17

**Botany Laboratory, Basement. February 10****th**** 2024 **

Hikaru drummed his fingers on the tabletop of his workstation, staring at his collection of various flowers before him. Six years of hard work displayed in various pots and large planters, gave Hikaru a sense of accomplishment. While his degree in History helped the team with understanding the events they were throwing themselves into, his degree in biochemistry came in handy as well.

A light knock on the door startled him, for the sudden intrusion in his silence nearly knocked him off the stool.

"Hey, I figured you were down here," Leonard said, as he walked into the lab. "I need your help on something."

Hikaru nodded, "Um, sure. What's up?" he asked, as Leonard set a few PADD's down onto the table.

"Well, you know how Lavinia's always complaining about the cold?" he asked, tapping at one of the screens. "How she wears layers and layers of clothes but her body temperature is still below average?"

Hikaru nodded, "Yeah. I'm guessing it hasn't gotten any better?" he asked.

Leonard shook his head, "Nope. It's still the same at ninety- four point three, and I can't figure out how to raise her temperature," he scratched his head. "I could give her a low strain of the flu, but I'd need to take more samples and see what her immune system is like compared to ours. She could have allergies or the lowest strain could blow up into a severe case."

"I don't want you giving her some flu, Len. Absolutely not!" Hikaru shook his head in protest. "You could kill her!"

"Since when did you become her publicist? Last time I checked, I was her doctor."

Hikaru blushed, "I just- I just don't want anything to hurt her," he shrugged.

Despite being the younger sibling, Leonard still felt obligated to be cautious for his sister. Even though the entire backstory to their connection was completely out of the ordinary, Leonard took on the role as the elder sibling, since he was pushing thirty-nine in this time period. But Hikaru and the others didn't know about the connection he had with Lavinia, just like the connection she had with Chris. Jim was the only one who knew, since his skills in hacking were beneficial to their advantage.

"You two do spend a lot of time together these days," Leonard shrugged. "It's obvious that you have feelings for her."

Hikaru sighed, "I tried to keep my feelings for her under control," he shrugged. "But the more time I spend with her, the more I fall for her."

Leonard wasn't one for relationship talk, being divorced after five years of marriage and dating a woman he hardly saw these days. The only person that was solid in that department was Nyota, until Spock's untimely death. Now she was off gallivanting across the world and time spectrum, with no set date to return. And Nyota would've been the last person Leonard would've sent Hikaru to, knowing that the woman hated Lavinia with her entire being.

"How about you give her some flowers?" Leonard suggested, taking a seat across from him. "Valentine's Day is coming up and what girl wouldn't want flowers on a day like that?"

Hikaru shrugged, "Do you think she would like them? You don't think giving flowers to her would make it seem like I was desperate?" he asked.

Leonard chuckled, "Kid, give her some damn flowers. Make her a nice dinner and watch a sappy love story."

"What are you and Christine doing?" he asked, curious as to why the blonde hadn't been around since the week after New Years.

"I don't know, Sulu. She's busy with work and I don't have time to step away from the chaos here," he sighed.

"Maybe you should give her flowers?"

Leonard rolled his eyes, "How about you save your flowers for Lavinia?" he shot back. "Now, I need an extra pair of eyes and a little help from your biochem degree. We need to come up with something safe to warm our girl up."

Together, the scientists poured through the files, hoping to find what they were looking for.

**Medical Lab One. February 13****th****. 2024**

"How many times did I tell you to keep your eyes open, when traveling?"

Jim shrugged, "More than I can remember?" he offered, as Leonard shot him a withering look.

Lavinia winced as swab dabbed at the cut on her hand, "Ouch! That hurts!" she hissed, trying to pull her hand out Leonard's ironclad grip.

"Pipe down! I'm mad at you too!" he snapped, tossing the bloodied swab into the biohazard bin.

"But I didn't do anything!" she whined, as Jim inched his way towards the door. "Jim thought we were being followed and who knew those animals would start throwing glass bottles around! Honestly, I will never travel to the eighties again!"

Jim shrugged, "The music was good though!"

Lavinia scowled, "That _noise _was enough to wake up the dead. And all those things in their noses and ears," she made a face, turning to look at her brother. "Their hair! Who has purple hair that stands up like this?" she demonstrated by holding up a strand of her hair up above her head. "Honestly, it's appalling."

At that moment, the door swung open and Hikaru came running in with Chris walking behind him.

"I heard you were back! Pavel said they brought you here," he came to her side. "What the hell happened?" he asked, looking down at her hand.

Lavinia was about to open her mouth, when Leonard cut her off. "These two knuckleheads running through a punk concert, glass bottles and Jim being Jim."

"You know what? Fuck you, Bones!" Jim snapped. "Excuse me for trying to make sure we didn't get caught!"

They watched as the younger man stormed out, kicking a garbage can over in the process. Lavinia shook her head and turned to glare at Leonard, who continued to work on her hand.

"You can be a real bastard, you know that?" she snapped, tugging her hand away from him. "Get out. I don't want your help anymore."

Leonard huffed, "You can't walk around with half your hand open! Stop being an infant!"

"If you don't get away from me, I will scream," she hissed, holding her hand to her chest. "I mean it, Leonard."

Chris sighed, "I'll finish up, McCoy."

With a grumble, Leonard tossed the medical supplies down on the tray and ripped the gloves off his hands. "Goddamn infants. Fucking tellin' me what to do," he mumbled, pushing past Chris.

Grabbing a fresh pair of medical gloves, Chris moved over to the stretcher and picked up the needle that Leonard dropped. Hikaru finally noticed the ripped clothing, covered in beer and blood, and shook his head.

"I'll go get you some clothes," he said, as Chris slowly worked on her hand.

Lavinia nodded, "Could you bring me a sweater? And some socks?" she asked, wincing at the twinge radiating up to her elbow.

He rubbed her free arm, "Of course," he nodded, before kissing the back of her hand. "I'll be right back."

She watched as he moved quickly out of the medical lab, before turning back to Chris. She watched as the black thread moved through her skin, before feeling sick. Turning her head, she looked at the wall ahead of her, and tried to focus on the clock.

"So," Chris started, as he lightly dabbed the blood on her hand. "You and Hikaru.."

Lavinia fought back a groan as the question hovered between them. How did one tell their fiancé that they were dating another man who lived in the same area? Technically, Chris was only her fiancé from _her _timeline, not this one. But she did kiss him, as well as Hikaru. A few days earlier, he walked in on them in the Blue Room, making out like wild teens on the sofa.

"We are.. together," she said, glancing up at him. "Ar-Are you troubled by this?" she asked.

Chris shook his head, "I have no say on the matter. You are free to do what you want, Lavinia," he said, snipping the remaining thread with the scissors.

She sighed, "Yes, but I don't want this to come between us," she said, watching as he wrapped her hand with gauze.

Once the tape was secure on her hand, Chris collected the garbage and pulled the soiled gloves off. "Like I said, " he picked up the tray and looked at her. "You can do what you please. I'm not your fiancé here."

Startled and hurt, Lavinia watched as he moved to the biohazard bin to throw out the trash, before setting the tray into the sink.

"Chris!"

He turned to look at her and she shook her head, "What would you have me do? I'm sorry that I care about him, like the way you do about me. Or did for that matter. But what do you want me to do?" she asked, her eyes filling with tears.

He moved back over to the stretcher and sighed, "Lavinia, you have to make the choice. I can't tell you what to do, except to be careful and think rationally before you do something. Things are different here from where you're from. You get a say in who you date and marry. Hikaru is a good man; he's smart, funny and he'll treat you right."

"But I don't want you to hate me for it," she whispered.

"Oh Lavinia," he sighed, taking her bandage-free hand into his. "I don't hate you, sweetheart."

"I can see it on your face, Chris," she squeezed his hand back. "I'm breaking your heart."

Before he could respond, Hikaru returned with a pile of clothes in his arms. When he saw the look on Lavinia's face and the fresh tear tracks, he automatically grew concerned.

"What happened?" he asked, setting the clothes down next to her.

"The last few stitches were a bit intense," Chris said, glancing at the young woman. "Glass cut her really deep and it was a bit rough to get the thread to close it up."

Hikaru nodded as he rubbed her knee, "It's a good thing we have skilled doctors here," he chuckled. "What would we do without them?"

Chris nodded, "I better go check on Jim," he said. "Make sure he doesn't drink himself into oblivion." He then turned to Lavinia, "I'll have Leonard check on your hand tomorrow. Make sure there's no infection and to change the dressings."

With a final squeeze, he let go of her hand and made his way towards the door. Before stepping out into the hall, Chris turned back and watched as Hikaru helped Lavinia down off the stretcher. When he saw the smile on her face, as Hikaru fussed over her and placed light kisses on her face and lips, Chris closed the door behind him. Making his way towards the lifts, Chris quietly stepped into the waiting car and pressed the button that would lead him down to Jim's office.

Placing a shaking hand over his chest, he closed his eyes and strained his ears to hear it. But it was impossible to hear it, as the car hummed down the elevator shaft. One couldn't hear a heart breaking; they could only feel it.


	18. Chapter 18

_**Thank you for your reviews! I do hope you enjoy the rest of the story as it progresses. I posted a new one today as well and I hope to have a few of my other stories finished in the upcoming weeks and months! **_

**The Fridge. February 14****th****. 2024**

A fresh cup of coffee was placed in front of Lavinia, as she sat at the counter in pure exhaustion. The sudden movement of a cup and hand in her view, startled her and jolted her out of her sleepy haze.

"Sorry," Hikaru winced, as he pulled the sugar bowl close to her. "Figured you'd need this."

Lavinia nodded, "Thank you," she said, turning to him. "I could drink an entire pot of this."

He watched as she scooped three spoonfuls of sugar into the cup, stirring the coffee quickly before setting the spoon down on the counter. Picking the cup up, Lavinia sat back in the chair and took a sip, savoring the warmth and taste of hazelnut.

"How late did you two stay up til?" Hikaru asked, preparing a cup for himself.

"I think we called it a night around five- or I did," she took another sip. "Chris and Jim were busy plowing through endless files and trying to find something in Jim's mess of an office.

Hikaru snorted, "I offered to clean that place up for him," he said, walking back around the counter to take a seat next to her. "All I wanted was fifty bucks and a bottle of whiskey he has stashed in his file cabinet."

She snorted, "I take it he said no?"

"Yup," he nodded, before they fell into silence.

Lavinia, Chris and Jim went straight to work after dinner the night before, claiming that they were working on their findings about Barnett. Leonard knew that they were actually working on the twisted romantic/family triangle between himself, Lavinia and Chris.

"When are you gonna tell him?" Leonard asked, as he checked in on them hours after they'd started working. "Sulu should know about everythin'. It's no good to keep secrets like this from a man who has good intentions."

With a yawn, Lavinia set the cup down on the counter and sighed. "I'm still too tired to function today," she mumbled.

"How about we go upstairs and watch a movie?" he asked. "We can have a lazy day today. I don't have to be anywhere and neither do you."

Lavinia smiled, "I'd like that."

Together, they refilled their cups and carried them up to the dormitory floor and headed into her room.

"Let me go grab a movie and I'll be right back," Hikaru said, as he placed his cup down on one of the nightstands.

Lavinia nodded and climbed into her bed and under the covers, burying her cold toes under the pile of quilts. A few minutes later, her door opened again and HIkaru stepped in with one hand behind his back.

"What do you have behind your back?" she asked, frowning as he shut the door with his foot.

"I don't know if you know what today is," he started, making his way towards her.

Lavinia frowned, "Is it your birthday?" she asked. "I didn't get you anything… I didn't know."

Hikaru chuckled, "It's not my birthday.." he said, sitting down next to her. "But it is Valentines Day."

Moving his hand from behind his back, Lavinia gasped and sat up straight. In his hand, Hikaru held a small bouquet of an array of flowers in various colors.

"Oh Hikaru," she gasped, taking the bouquet from him. "These are lovely."

He smiled and watched and she pressed her nose into the spectrum of colors, breathing in their various scents. "I've never seen such flowers before.." she marveled, touching the petals with her fingers.

"These are from my botany lab down in the basement," he said, as she looked up in shock. "I cross bread a few different flowers and these are the results."

She smiled and he continued, "I wanted to ask you.." he started, as she looked at him expectedly. "Um..would you be my Valentine?" he asked, rubbing the back of his neck.

Lavinia giggled, "Of course I will!" she exclaimed, leaning forward to hug him. "I've never had a Valentine before."

"Never?" he was shocked. "How can a lovely woman such as yourself never have a Valentine?"

She blushed, "I'm not sure," she shrugged. "But I'm glad that you're the first."

Hikaru leaned in and kissed her softly, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Lets put these in water and watch a movie," he said, as she kissed his cheek.

Lavinia nodded and scrambled off the bed and into the bathroom, returning with a small water jug filled with water. She placed her flowers inside and set them on the nightstand next to her bed. With a smile, she touched the petals one more time, before settling back down onto her bed.

"What are we watching?" she asked, as Hikaru set up the movie.

"I figured we could watch a love story," he said, moving onto the opposite side of her bed with a grin. "Given that it's Valentine's Day after all."

The opening credits to _An Affair to Remember _popped up onto the screen and Lavinia smiled, as she snuggled against Hikaru.

"You like a lot of old movies," she noted, as his arm came around her shoulders. "It's charming."

"I figured you'd like old movies," he said, as he started the movie. "After all," he turned to look down at her. "You're the girl out of time."

She smiled up at him before turning her attention back to the screen, feeling the warmth of his body radiating through hers.

**Jim's Office. February 23****rd****. 2024**

"We've been reading the same thing for the last hour," Lavinia groaned, as she backed away from the computer screen.

Jim sighed, "Fuck," he muttered. "Fuck, fuck, fuck."

Lavinia rubbed her eyes with her fingers, before pushing the palms of her hands against her temples.

"You've been doing that a lot," Jim noted, as she applied pressure to her head. "Maybe you should see Bones."

She scowled, "I'm fine," she snapped. "Just tired of finding dead ends."

He nodded, "How do you think I feel? I'm tired of reading about your engagement announcement in every paper from the UK and in New York," he huffed.

She watched as Jim pushed his feet up onto the desk next to the keyboard, knocking a few stacks of papers to the floor. She shook her head when he made no motion to pick them up, and sighed.

"I'm going to take a break for a while," she said, standing from her chair. "You should take one too."

Jim waved his hand at her, "I'll be fine," he shrugged. "Go get some food. You're shrinking before my eyes, darling Lavinia."

She snorted at his faux British accent and made her way through the mess on the floor, "I'll be back in an hour!"

As Lavinia made her way towards the lifts, her head continued to hurt and her eyes burned. Taking Jim's advice for once, Lavinia skipped the kitchen and made her way to the one place her brother spent a majority of his time.

**Medical Lab One.**

"I knew it," Leonard muttered, as he moved the device away from Lavinia's face. "You need glasses."

Lavinia gasped, "What? Why? I'm too young for glasses!" she cried, as Leonard filled in her ever-growing medical chart.

"Relax!" he scowled, nudging her foot with his. "You need them for reading and looking at computer screens."

"But I'll look silly in them," she insisted, as he filled out her chart. "Can't you do some medical voodoo so I wont have to wear them?"

Leonard looked up at her with a frown as she smiled sweetly at him, "Please brother dearest?"

"No."

Lavinia huffed," But I'm not old like Chris is! Old people wear glasses!"

He snorted, "You better not let him hear you say that," he tutted. "Chris hates being called old."

"Dammit! I will not wear those silly things!" she swore, as Leonard sent a quick copy of his findings to Scotty.

He placed the PADD on the tray and nodded, "If you want to enjoy reading you will," he warned. "Besides, I'm sure Sulu will still find you pretty with them on."

Lavinia rolled her eyes, "You're very careless with your words."

Leonard stood up and shrugged, "Think I give a damn?" he asked, as he started clearing off the tray. "Not only am I your brother, but your doctor as well. I just want you to take care of yourself."

She sagged in the chair, "I know you do and I'm sorry," she sighed. "It's been a stressful time, with the research and everything."

"I heard there's been standstill in information," he said, as Lavinia got up from the chair.

"A lot of engagement announcements and a few about my death- all the important bits blurred out of course," she huffed. "Somebody doesn't want us to know the truth, Len."

He nodded, "I know," he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "But we'll find out what happened to you and we'll keep you safe."

Lavinia smiled, "You're a whole lot better when you're nicer," she poked his shoulder. "You should be like this all the time."

Leonard snorted, "Everyone would drop dead from shock if I were like this all the time," he ruffled her hair. "Come on, let's go see Scotty. You're getting a new fashion accessory or whatever you ladies call those things."


	19. Chapter 19

**Library. Enterprise Station. March 6****th****, 2024**

The heater creaked and hissed, cranked up as high as possible, as Lavinia sat in an old armchair with a book. Still cold, she had a wool blanket wrapped around her shoulders, her feet tucked underneath her. Turning the page with one hand, the other came up to push the glasses up. Once Scotty made the black framed glasses, Lavinia tried to wear them in private. It was only until Hikaru found her in the library with them on, that it was known to the others that she had them.

"_I think you look cute," Hikaru said, leaning over her. "You got that sexy librarian thing going." _

She blushed so hard at his comment, feeling warmth radiating through her for the first time without having anyone hold her. Now, hiding in the library while the others either worked or traveled, Lavinia spent the rainy day lost in a fictional world. Nearing the part when Harry Potter escaped the Chamber of Secrets, a loud bang pulled her out of the magical world of Hogwarts and into the present.

Setting her book to the side, Lavinia quickly stood up and rushed to the door, peaking out into the hallway.

"Hello?"

Nothing but the hiss from the heater and the creaking in the pipes overhead, filled the hall. But Lavinia couldn't shrug off the feeling that something was off. She started down the hallway slowly, bracing herself for an intruder.

"Is anyone here? Jim? Hikaru?"

The lights flickered, causing her to halt. Her breathing hitched and she began to panic, as the lights flickered on and on.

"Hello? Is there anybody down here?" she shouted.

Turning at the corner, she found the next hallway empty, but continued walking. She knew that the medical station was in this wing, and figured it would be safe. Once she made her way to the door, Lavinia pushed it open and found it empty.

"Len?" she called out.

When no one came out, she sighed and turned to leave. But something on the floor caught her eye, and made her pause. Frowning, she slowly inched around the table and gasped. A puddle of water- a very large puddle. Looking up to see if there was a leak, she was shocked to find that there was none. And there was not glass on the ground to indicate a spill.

"What the.." she said to herself, before a loud racket filled the air.

The sound of glass breaking and objects scraping across the floor filled the room, yet nothing was moving. Lavinia yelped and covered her ears, though she could still hear it. The creaking and groaning, that shook her to her very core. Lavinia stood still as the noise continued, trembling. Then, without any reason, everything from the cabinets and counters against one wall came flying out.

Lavinia screamed and ducked under one of the stretchers, as glass and cotton flew everywhere. Bottles containing liquid flew out and shattered against the tiles, releasing various odors that burned her nose. Without full understanding of what was going on, the only thing she could do was scream.

**Computer Lab. Enterprise Station. March 6****th****, 2024**

"Dude you need to update this shit," Jim said, as they waited for Pavel's computer to upload.

The young man sighed, "I know. Just like I need new speakers and a new printer," he snapped. "Tell me something I don't know."

Hikaru snorted, "Eventually we'll get you a new toy," he said. "It's just on layaway."

Pavel snorted, "You've been saying that for the last five years."

Hikaru shrugged, "And yet you still manage to make this fossil work," he said, tapping the computer lightly.

Jim sighed, "Since we're waiting for this piece of shit to start up," he turned to Hikaru and grinned. "I hear you and Miss Lavinia are a couple."

"WHAT!" Pavel shouted from under the table, smacking his head against the table top. "FUCK!"

While Jim roared with laughter, Hikaru blushed and nodded. "We are, but I don't see how that's any of your business."

"Dude, it's everyone's business," Jim frowned. "We're all stuck down here and it's not everyday we have someone hooking up with another."

"But McCoy and Christine-" Pavel started, until Jim shook his head.

"Christine hasn't spent a full night here in months," he waved his hand at the idea. "She only comes here to drop food and clothes off, has a few words with him and leaves."

And it was true, since Christine came by two days previously to bring food, hygiene products and some clothes that were put on a list for her. Her and Leonard spoke briefly before she took the underground exits that lead her into the stock room of a department store.

"Anyways," Jim continued. "How serious are things between you and the girl out of time?"

Hikaru scowled, "Only I'm allowed to call her that," he snapped, earning a whistle.

"Ohhh, only you're allow to call her that!" Jim mimicked, before chuckling. "That's some kinky shit my friend!"

"Shut up! Don't be so rude, Jim," Hikaru hissed. "Show her some respect."

Pavel watched quietly as the two bickered back and forth, glancing at his computer every few minutes.

"Have you two done the nasty yet?" Jim asked, without a single care in the world. "I bet you she's super polite during the entire thing."

Hikaru was scandalized, blushing furiously. "Jim!" he yelled, as the blonde laughed. "I swear to god!"

Jim shook his head, "Dude relax!" he patted his shoulder. "It's totally fine that you're getting some action! You need it!"

Hikaru was about to respond when he heard someone screaming, the words stuck in his throat. The three men looked at each other and quickly scrambled to their feet, running out the door and tearing down the hall.

"What the fuck is that?" Jim shouted, as they ran.

A few seconds later, Leonard and Chris came crashing through another hallway and spotted them.

"Do you hear that?" Leonard asked.

They nodded, "Where the fuck is it coming from?" Hikaru demanded, looking at the four halls that intersected in the middle.

Another scream ripped through the lower level of the station and they all turned in the same direction.

"That sounds like it's coming from medical," Pavel said, as they glanced at one another.

Without another word, they all took off in that direction, bursting through the door. The screaming stopped at that point, the sounds of sobs and whimpers filling the air. Leonard and Hikaru made their way further in the room, looking around. Chris followed, while Jim and Pavel searched in the supply units.

Underneath the stretcher, Chris spotted Lavinia kneeling down with her hands over her ears and her eyes closed.

"Shit.." he whispered, kneeling down. "Lavinia!"

She jumped and screamed, pushing him away as he grabbed her. "NO!"

"Shhh, Lavinia. It's me!" he said, shaking her lightly, as she thrashed about. "It's me! Chris."

Lavinia opened her eyes and grew still in his grasp, staring at him in silence. Tearstained and wild eyed, her trembled and shuddered as each breath wracked her body.

"Come on," he said softly. "Come out here."

Slowly but surely, Lavinia inched her way out from under the stretcher and into the bright lights of the medical lab. She saw Leonard and Hikaru standing right behind Chris, looking at her with concern. Even fear.

Chris helped her to her feet and she wobbled a bit, steadying herself against his side. "What happened?" he asked, as she looked around the room.

"W-" she frowned, turned around quickly in her spot. "No.." she whispered, shaking her head.

Pulling away from him, Lavinia quickly rushed to the cabinet and pulled the door open. Inside, all the bottles were lined up, labeled and filled with the contents that were supposed to be inside.

"No, no, no, no," she shook her head, pulling each cabinet open.

"Lavinia," Hikaru started, as she pulled the drawers open.

She turned around quickly to look at him, "All of this was on the floor just a few minutes ago," she said, her tone lifeless and cold. "Everything was on the floor- the bottles and all of this-"

They watched as she scanned the counter tops and opened cabinets, "Didn't you hear it?" she asked.

"Hear what?" Leonard asked, as she stood on shaky feet.

Lavinia shook her head, "The glass? Stuff breaking?"

When they shook their heads, she moved past them, looking down at the floor. To her shock and horror, the wet spot was gone. She began to tremble, as her fear filled eyes welled up.

"Oh god.." she gasped, clutching her side. "Oh god.."

She collapsed to the floor into a shuddering mess, crying and whimpering. Hikaru quickly rushed to her side and knelt down next to her, pulling her into his arms.

"What's happening to me?" she whispered, as he held her. "What's happening to me?"

**Lavinia's room. March 6h, 2024**

Hikaru stood in the doorway of the bedroom, his eyes on the bed. Leonard stood at the side, watching as Lavinia slept quietly under the pile of blankets. He grabbed the hypos and moved towards the door quietly, where Hikaru waited.

"I gave her a mild sedative," he said softly, turning back to look at her. "It should keep her out for a few hours."

Hikaru nodded, "What the fuck happened down there?" he asked, sighing in frustration.

Leonard shook his head, "I have no idea, but I don't like it."

"Me either! She said everything on that side of the room came crashing out and that a wet spot was on the floor," he shook his head. "Scotty checked the ceiling after we moved her and said that everything was fine."

"Has she been sleeping?" he asked. When Hikaru didn't respond right away, the older man rolled his eyes. "I know you two sleep in the same bed sometimes, Sulu. We're adults here, I can't tell you what to do unfortunately."

Hikaru sighs, "Some nights she can sleep right through without waking up," he rubbed the back of his neck. "Other nights, she wakes up gasping for air or shaking so hard that her teeth rattle in her mouth."

Leonard shook his head, "Why didn't you say anything?" he asked. "I'm a fucking doctor and I should know these things!"

"She didn't want me to tell anyone!" Hikaru hissed, pulling him out into the hall. "I tried to get her to see reason, but she said that she didn't want to be a bother to you or anyone else."

Leonard rolled his eyes, "Well, I have a medical license and I need to know this shit.," he snapped. "I don't care how mad she gets at you or that she kicks you out of her room. If she wakes up with a bad reaction, you tell me."

Hikaru nodded, "Fine. I'll tell you the next time it happens-" he said. "In fact, I'll bring her to your room so you can assess the issue."

"Don't get smart with me, Sulu," Leonard snarled. "I am not in the mood for it."

"Then stop being a fucking asshole! What do you want me to do? Force her? Do you understand how much she wants to fight it on her own? She wants us to focus on our work instead of rushing to her aid every time she has a nightmare."

Leonard sighed, "But it ain't right that you have to deal with it alone," he shook his head. "We all care about her, kid. Ain't nothing you or her can say about that."

Hikaru nodded and Leonard continued, "Shit, Pavel was in near fuckin' tears when I gave her an MRI. Poor kid thought she was dying on the spot or somethin'."

A light moan and shifting against the sheets distracted them, as they turned and looked into the room.

" 'Karu?"

Leonard nodded, "Stay with her," he said. "If she wakes up call me otherwise I'll come up around dinnertime to check on her."

Hikaru nodded, "Thanks Len," he sighed. "I'm sorry for being a dick."

But Leonard shook his head, "I get it. You care about her and you don't want to see anything bad happenin' to her," he glanced at his sister. "But we all feel that way. She's one of us now."

He nodded and made his way towards the bed, climbing in next to her. Leonard tossed the used medical supplies into the wastebasket by the door and started closing the door.

"Hey," Hikaru whispered. "I'm right here."

Lavinia rolled over; her eyes still closed, and wrapped her arm over his stomach. "Mmmm, 'Karu."

With one last look, as Hikaru pulled the blanket up to her shoulders before placing a kiss on her forehead, Leonard closed the door and slowly started his trip back to medical. He had a lot of tests to run and questions that needed answers. Something wasn't right. And he began to eat away at his thoughts, for his sister was in danger.


	20. Chapter 20

**I am so sorry for the delay! I just started classes again, so updates wont be as often as they were. My goal is to have a new chapter or two every other day! I decided to start the revelation of where Lavinia came from before finding herself in the company of our lovely scientists! I hope you enjoy the thrilling ride! **

**April 1st, 2024. Hikaru's Room.**

"So I take it you had a good travel?" Lavinia asked, as she hung her dressing gown over the back of a chair.

Hikaru turned the sink off in the bathroom and came out, turning the lights off in the process. "Good as in having Pavel puke all over your shoes and Scotty giggling at the sight?" he asked.

Lavinia winced, "That bad?"

Both crawled into bed and settled under the blankets, glad to finally be together after a long day.

"It was awful," Hikaru groaned, wrapping his arm around her waist. "What did you do today?"

She sighed, "Leonard ran some more tests, brain scans and such," she shrugged. "We tried fixing the heater in my room but Chris says it's fine and working up to speed."

In the days following the strange incident in medical, Lavinia was pulled out of traveling and forced to stay at the station, taking many tests and regaining her strength. While she rested, the boys searched high and low, trying to figure out the source of glass breaking and if any furniture was out of place. But their searches ended with the same results. Nothing. Everything was in place- bookcases, tables, chairs and couches. And all the glass remained in their places, not a single crack to show that they had been mistreated.

Hikaru squeezed her tightly against him, "We'll figure it out," he promised. "But until then, you can stay here with me. I'll keep you warm."

Lavinia looked at him through the darkness, the only light coming from opening the in the curtains, and nodded. She moved her head closer to his and kissed his lips softly, moaning lightly as his hand came up to caress the back of her head. When they pull apart, both breathless and flushed, Lavinia reached up and touched his face.

"We should slow down.." he breathed, trembling with excitement and passion.

Lavinia shook her head, "I don't want to."

Hikaru kissed the side of her head, "We don't have to rush into anything," he said. "I don't want you to think you have to do anything you don't want to."

"I want to," she said, shifting against him. "I want to do this, Hikaru."

He looked at her for a moment in total silence, as she nodded at him with pleading eyes. "I trust you," she whispered, before kissing him. "I trust you with every part of me."

Hikaru kissed her again, a little harder this time, as his hand traveled up her side. Lavinia moaned and settled back against the pillows as Hikaru rolled onto her, his hands moving softly against her body.

**April 8th, 2024. The Fridge.**

"That's ridiculous!"

Pavel was sitting at the kitchen table, while Leonard and Lavinia stood by arguing. He watched with amusement as they bickered over the pros and cons of trying to contact Nyota.

"Why is it ridiculous?" Leonard asked. "I understand that she's said some awful things to you and she hasn't been that nice, but she's still part of this team!"

Lavinia rolled her eyes, "She's a nasty witch! Look how relaxed everyone is when she's not here! There's more laughter and playful banter!"

"Dammit Lavinia! Not everything has to revolve around you!" he snapped, quieting her up quickly. "Just because you two can't get along, doesn't mean we shouldn't look for her!"

Pavel watched as Lavinia's face twisted from frustrated to complete anger, "How dare you!" she shrieked.

Just then, Jim, Chris and Hikaru came in after working in the lab. They halted in the doorway, their conversation dying, as the young woman shouted.

"I find you to be completely idiotic and unreasonable!" she snapped, as Leonard rolled his eyes.

"Oh really?" he snarled. "Well, I find you to be a spoiled little brat, who throws a goddamn temper tantrum when she doesn't get her way!"

Lavinia reached up and slapped him, "I wish you would find the nearest bridge and jump off!" she screamed, before storming out of the kitchen, pushing past the small group that stood in the way.

HIkaru went to follow her until Jim grabbed his arm and shook his head, "Let her cool off. She'll be fine."

Scotty came out of the food pantry and glanced at them all, "What did I miss?" he asked.

Chris shook his head, "Can't we have a day that doesn't involve fighting?" he asked, moving towards the table.

**Botany Lab.**

Lavinia paced back and forth, her fists clenching and unclenching as she moved. She cursed her brother and the wretched Nyota, who's unknown whereabouts became a concern only two days earlier. Why anyone wanted to find her was beyond her understanding, as the older woman was cold and hostile towards her.

"You know," a voice rang out, making her jump. "If you pace any harder into the concrete, you would go right through the floor."

She scowled, "I am in no joking mood, Hikaru," she snapped, as he moved into the lab.

Shutting the door behind him, he made his way over and caught her by the wrist.

"No, but I know a way to calm you down," he grinned, as she tried to pull away.

After a few minutes she sighed in defeat and nodded, "Damn you," she groaned, as he chuckled. " S'not funny!"

Hikaru snorted, "It is," he ran his fingers down her back. "Especially when I do that," he grinned, as she shuddered and pushed against him.

"What have you done to me?" she asked, as he kissed her neck. "You've turned me into woman of sin."

He snorted, "I don't see you complaining though," he shot back, as she squealed under his playful nips.

"No, you don't," she moaned. "Especially if you keep doing.. _that!" _she pulled away and sighed. "Ten minutes. It's almost dinner time."

Hikaru grinned, "Yes Miss. Ten minutes."

**April 14th 2024. Jim's Office.**

Hikaru knocked on the door and pushed it open, "Jim?"

Stepping in, he stepped over the pile of papers and boxes, glancing around at chaos that contained Jim's work.

"Jim? Are you in here?" he shouted, glancing around at the dimly lit room.

Making his way over to the desk that held the computer, he stood by the chair and waited for Jim to pop out and scare him. It was always guaranteed to happen when stepping into his little world. It took many years and endless black eyes to Jim's face, for Hikaru to prepare himself.

When Jim didn't pop out behind the endless stacks of papers, Hikaru sighed. Chris sent him down to pick up a few files before dinner, and he didn't have time to deal with nonsense. He was hungry and exhausted, after spending several hours doing his own research on the next time period he and Leonard would head into. Plus, he wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed with Lavinia and spend the rest of the evening wrapped up against her.

He smiled at the thought of her, bare as the day she was born and in his arms. Being the first, Hikaru had taught her many things in such a short period of time, as did Lavinia. If it were possible, Hikaru had fallen even more in love with her now than he did the moment he saw her. She was everything he ever dreamed of and wanted, proving that there "the one" existed for each and every person in this world.

Shuffling the contents on Jim's desk, Hikaru managed to find a pen and scrambled to find a blank piece of paper to write a quick note. Moving a packet of news articles on the latest news out of Starfleet, Hikaru found a folder underneath. Picking it up to move to the side, the writing on the tab stopped him.

_Lavinia_

Frowning, Hikaru slowly opened the folder and was shocked to find it full of papers and writings. Setting the folder down, he started shifting through the contents. Most of the pages were copies from the printer, the text marked out with thick black lines. Many said the same thing; an untimely death at the tender age of nineteen by drowning. Statements from friends and family, expressing their grief and sadness. Then he stumbled across the next article and felt his blood run cold, for it was the statement from Christopher Pike. Lavinia's fiancé.

"What?" he shook his head, scanning through the text before him.

Dropping the printout, Hikaru flipped through the remaining pages before finding the photograph. At first, Hikaru couldn't figure out what hurt the most. The engagement or the fact that Lavinia looked happy in the picture. And then the feeling of anger took over; blinding white rage that shook him and made him want to rip the picture into a million pieces.

Jim knew about this, which meant that Lavinia and Chris knew as well. He then wondered if everyone else knew and it infuriated him. The woman that he shared a bed with and gave all his love and affection to was engaged to his boss and knew. She knew and never said a word about it, continuing to move closer and closer to him.

Scopping all the papers back up into the folder, Hikaru picked it up and stormed through the mess with little care. He was going to get answers to his questions.


	21. Chapter 21

**April 14****th****, 2024. The Blue Room. Enterprise Station.**

Hikaru stormed into the rec room, clutching the folder in his hand. His eyes wandered the room, taking in the activities around him. Scotty and Pavel were playing a card game that included a lot of alcohol. Jim was busy tinkering at the television, while Leonard sat on the sofa to yell at him. In the corner by the windows, Chris and Lavinia sat at a table. Hikaru watched as Lavinia laughed at something the older man was saying and he made his way towards them.

Slamming the folder down between them startled both from their conversation. The others quickly looked up from their tasks and watched as Lavinia glanced at the folder then back at Hikaru.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a frown, as he stood before her.

"What the fuck is this?" he yelled, opening the folder to expose the contents. "How long have you known about this?"

Lavinia turned to look down at the papers and paled, seeing the truth that she kept hidden from him for so long.

"Hikaru I-" she stuttered, as he shook his head.

"When did you plan on telling me?"

"Hikaru I think you should ca-" Chris started, before Hikaru turned to him.

"Don't!" he shouted. "Don't tell me to calm down!"

Jim and Leonard made their way closer to the table, "Dude," Jim started.

Hikaru turned to look at him, "And you!" he shouted. "I found this shit in your office! How could you keep information like this?"

"It wasn't my place to say anything!" Jim shouted back.

Lavinia stood from her seat and moved closer to Hikaru, "Please stop," she begged, reaching out to touch him arm.

Hikaru quickly pulled away and she faltered, watching him with sadness in her eyes. "I didn't mean to keep it from you, Hikaru!"

Scotty and Pavel, who sat quietly at the table, finally decided to ask the burning question. "What are we talking about?" Pavel asked.

Hikaru kept his cold stare on Lavinia as he answered, "It seems that Lavinia here is engaged to be married," he started. "Married to our boss, who expressed great sadness that the woman he loved died."

"Yer serious?" Scotty asked, dumbfounded at the breaking news. "Yer engaged?"

Chris shook his head, "We were," he said. "Back in our time."

"What else have you lied about?" Hikaru asked, inching closer to her. "What other secrets did you two laugh about behind our backs?"

Lavinia shook her head, "Stop it."

Hikaru grabbed her by the arm, "What else did you lie to me about?" he yelled.

"You're hurting me!" she cried, trying to pull out of his grasp. "LET GO OF ME!"

Leonard placed a heavy hand on Hikaru's shoulder, "I think the lady told you to let go."

"I want you gone," Hikaru snapped, pushing her away from him. He watched as Jim reached out to catch her before she could hit the floor. "I don't ever want to see you again! Go back to wherever the fuck you came from and finish out what your destiny is!"

Gasps filled the room as all eyes turned to look at Hikaru. Lavinia looked up at him through tearfilled eyes, before pulling herself up to her own feet. Her face went through a range of emotions-fear, sadness, shock and finally, anger- as she raised her head up and started at him.

"Fine," she said quietly, almost deadly. "I'll leave."

Hikaru nodded, "Good."

"In fact," she turned to look at her brother. "I will not wait for any medical clearance and I plan on leaving as soon as possible," she turned to Chris. "Tomorrow morning that is."

"Lavinia wait!" Leonard said, as she pushed past him.

She continued walking, hitting her shoulder against Hikaru- hard enough to make him stumble. Lavinia then turned to Pavel, her gaze withering and making him squirm.

"And you!" she shouted, as he yelped. "Fix that goddamn computer and send me the hell home!"

She then turned and started for the door when Hikaru's voice stopped her, "I hope your death is slow and painful."

Her hands trembling, Lavinia glanced at the small table on the left and eyed the hardcover tomb. Picking it up, she quickly turned around and chucked it across the room, hitting him square on the back.

"I hope you rot in hell," she spat, before turning on her heel and running out of the room.

**Lavinia's room.**

"Lavinia! Lavinia wait!" Jim shouted, as she ran down the halls.

Pushing the door to her room open, Lavinia quickly ran in and slammed the door behind her, locking it. Leaning against the oak, she closed her eyes and gasped for air and Jim pounded on the door.

"He didn't mean it, Vinia!" he yelled, pounding on the door. "Please don't leave!"

"GO AWAY!" she screamed.

A few minutes later, the pounding stopped and footsteps could be heard going down the hall. Lavinia let out a trembling sigh and closed her eyes, feeling nothing but numbness and white-hot anger. Her hands shook and she squeezed them into fists to control them, the urge to punch something strong. Trying to concentrate on what had just happened to her, Lavinia used the many methods that Leonard taught her to control her anxiety.

_Breathe in and out, that's it Darlin'. Just relax your body and think of something calming. _

The only thing that used to keep her calm, were thoughts of Hikaru. Lavinia shook her head and tried to think of something else, as a tight hold around her ribcage caused her breathing to stutter and slow. She moaned in pain as the feeling grew more and more around her body, before she opened her eyes and looked down. Letting out a startled cry, Lavinia found that her normal apparel- sweatpants, a thermal shirt and socks- had been replaced with a long beaded green and black gown.

Pushing away from the door, Lavinia rushed towards the vanity and let out a startled yell. The messy ponytail that held the long red curls had been replaced with a fancy up do. Jewels covered her neck and hung from her ears. She could feel the familiar pinch from a pair of heels on her feet, and shook her head. After a few seconds of just staring at her reflection, she began to panic. Trembling hands reached up and started pulling at the hairpins. Some caught and pulled against her scalp, as she clawed her fingers through the up-do.

"Dammit!" she screeched, ripping the necklace off and tossing it across the room.

She needed a way out. Clawing at the gown, trying to pull it off her body was pointless. She needed something sharp to get it off. Scissors. Pulling the draw open and out of the vanity, Lavinia balanced it against her hip and dug through it.

"No!" she cried, when nothing could be found to free her.

The drawer went flying across the room, hitting the dresser and crashing to the ground, spilling its contents.

Lavinia grabbed the hairbrush and threw it in the same direction, screaming as it clattered against the floor. Other objects began to follow, changing in her hands as they sailed across the room. Hot tears fell from her eyes, as each breath and cry came out strangled against the corset around her body. Lavinia tossed a bottle of perfume, when she stopped and stared at the room.

It was changing. The walls went from white to red, and the furniture went from basic to ornate. Lavinia looked into the mirror again, clutching the hand mirror in her hand. She cried at the reflection; a broken girl, confused and lost, and threw the hand mirror at it. Glass shattered onto the vanity and Lavinia quickly turned on her heel and threw open the door and out into the hall.

**The Fridge.**

"What the fuck just happened?" Scotty asked, as he poured a glass of scotch out for Chris.

"A disaster," he mumbled, taking the glass from him. "I'm sorry we never told you guys," he said, looking Scotty and Pavel.

Scotty nodded, "It's fine," he sat down. "Ah understand that yer personal business isn't up for discussion."

Leonard shook his head, "I want to kill that little shit," he growled. "What gives him the goddamn right to put his hands on her like that and then say such awful things?"

"Len-" Chris warned, as the doctor continued.

"And who the hell is he, demandin' for her to leave? Last I checked-"

"Last I checked, I was in charge here," Chris cut off, giving him a stern glare.

Jim shook his head, "Are we really going to send her back?" he asked, looking at his crew. "Where the hell do we send her? She doesn't know where she's from and neither do we!"

Pavel nodded, "I'm not fixing the program to send her back to die," he said. "I won't do it and you can't make me!"

Chris held up his hand, "Don't worry, Pavel. I wouldn't allow you do it either," he said.

The silence was dreadful, as they sat around the table with a range of emotions between them all.

"So," Scotty started. "What do we do now?"

Before anyone could answer, the sound of heels clicking against the floor and the swish of material filled their ears. They turned to look at the doorway, as the noise grew closer and closer, identifying the sound of sobbing as well. Suddenly, a flash of green, black and red, shot by the door.

"Shit!" Leonard yelped, jumping to his feet. "Lavinia!"

The others quickly followed him out of the kitchen and down the hall, as Lavinia ran towards the door.

"Wait!"

"No!"

"DON'T YOU DARE!"

"STOP!"

Lavinia pushed the door open and stepped out into the chilly evening air, slamming the door slamming behind her. When they pulled the door open, the found nothing but darkness and the twinkling stars above the forest.

**Lavinia.**

She pushed the door open and stepped out into the chilly evening air, glancing back at the faces of her brother, fiancé and friends. Suddenly, the atmosphere changed. A few shouts turned into thousands and the air grew colder. The ground beneath her feet went from soft grass to hardwood, as she bumped into a moving object.

"WATCH IT!"

Lavinia quickly faced forward, stumbling as she righted herself up. All around her, people ran back and forth, screaming in fear. She could heard the sound of an orchestra playing in the distance, noting the opening strings to _Orpheus, _as she stood rooted to the spot.

"LAVINIA!"

Turning quickly, Lavinia stood on her toes and searched for the person who shouted her name.

"Lavinia! Oh thank god!"

Lavinia turned around and gasped, "Lucy!"

The blonde pulled her into a bonecrushing hug, "I couldn't find you! They started loadin' the boats.." she stared, as she pulled away.

"What? What are you talking about?" Lavinia asked, frowning. "What happened?"

Lucy shook her head, "Don't you remember? I was helping you get ready for dinner and then you fainted? I had the doctor come in and he suggested that you stay in for the evening."

Lavinia shook her head, "I- Why are boats being launched?" she asked.

"The ship," she gasped. "The ship hit an iceberg, Lavinia."

Suddenly, it all came back to her. The boarding in Southampton and the stops in Cherbourg and Queenstown, the tour of the ship and the fancy dinners with the others in first class. Being in the North Atlantic in the middle of April, the water still cold. This was the trip back to America, the trip that caused her death.

"Oh god.." she gasped, as a group of men pushed by them.

Lucy took her by the hand, "Come on!" she started pulling her. "There are a few more boats this way! And thank god you put a coat on, the temperature is dropping by the seconds and you'll surely catch your death!"

Lavinia glanced down and saw that her gown had changed again. This time, it was a charcoal grey with a light blue sash under her bust. Over it, she wore a heavy white coat with gold buttons.

"How bloody mad is this?" Lucy asked, as they ran towards the last two boats on the starboard side. "The Unsinkable Ship is actually sinking? And there's not enough boats for all the pour souls onboard!"

Lavinia couldn't reply, as she watched tearful wives and children being pulled onto lifeboats. The men standing on the deck, promising to see them in the morning and not to worry. As they waited behind a group of men and women, Lavinia couldn't help but think that tonight; Hikaru would finally get his wish. She would die a very slow and painful death, as the Titanic sank from under her.


	22. Chapter 22

**Computer Lab. April 14****th****, 2024.**

"Can you track her, Pavel? Maybe figure out where she went through her figurine?" Jim asked, as they crowded around the computer.

Pavel shrugged, "I don't know! While I installed the new program into our figurines, I haven't gotten the chance to check if it actually worked!" he cried, logging into the system.

Leonard came running in with a PADD in his hands, "Hold on!" he exclaimed.

"What? What happened?" Chris asked, as Leonard stood next to him, tapping furiously at the screen.

"When I did the last set of tests on Lavinia," he started as he pulled open files on the device. "I placed a tracker in her."

The others stared at him in shock and he shrugged, "It was the only way I could monitor her heart rate, breathing and the potential anxiety attacks that she's prone to. It also keeps track of her body temperature, which doesn't look too good right now."

He moved forward and hooked the PADD up to the computer and the stats were up on the screen for them all to see. Her heart rate was elevated along with her breathing. The body temperature was lower than usual, which indicated that she had been thrown in somewhere cold.

"Shit," Chris mumbled, staring at the screen.

Hikaru chose that moment to come in, "What are you doing?" he asked, as several sets of angry eyes turned to him.

Jim moved away from the table and stormed over to him, "Maybe you should have front row seats to watch her die," he snarled.

"What?" he asked, clearly confused as to what Jim was on about.

"Lavinia disappeared not even twenty minutes after the shit you pulled," Chris snapped.

Hikaru gasped, clearly shocked at the news. "W-what do you mean she disappeared?" he asked.

Pavel rolled his eyes, "Don't act like you care, Hikaru!" he yelled, shocking the others. "You're an asshole!"

"Better take a seat," Jim said, as he moved back to the table.

**Titanic. Starboard Side. North Atlantic. April 15****th****, 1912**

Lavinia and Lucy stood in the crowd of struggling passengers, as women and children were loaded into one of the few lifeboats.

"I need more women and children please!" the officer shouted, waving them through.

Beneath her feet, Lavinia could feel the ship shifting into a tilt. She could hear the groaning of the steel and iron, as the Atlantic pulled her down into the icy depths. In the few minutes that she found herself back on the ship, Lavinia could tell that it was sinking fast. As she waited for a seat, she had flashes of the days prior to boarding. The joy she felt stepping out of the car and staring up at the beautiful ship, destined to bring so many to their new homes. How the first night consisted of her dining with the other first class passengers. Margret Brown and the Astors. Thomas Andrews moving about with a notebook and pencil in his hands, as he scribbled over every detail of the ship within the pages. Meeting Captain Smith, who knew of her family as well as many of the first class passengers on his ship.

How every day before tonight was filled with tea on the private promenade attached to her stateroom and the walks along the boat deck The stateroom that her father paid for, fit for a Queen. And after Lucy helped her into one of the many gowns, the trip down the Grand Staircase fulfilled every fantasy she had being a princess as a small child. Now, all it would be at the bottom of the ocean. The sea would swallow all the hopes and dreams, the promises of a better life.

"There's only room for one more!"

Lucy nudged her shoulder, "Go on, Lavinia," she said. "Get into the boat."

Lavinia looked at the outstretched hand of the officer with the pleading face then back at Lucy, who nodded her head in an urgent matter. Quickly, Lavinia pulled off her coat and wrapped it around Lucy.

"Get in the boat."

Lucy frowned, "W-what? No!"

Pushing her forward, the officer pulled Lucy by the hand and started pulling her over the side of the ship. Lucy pulled away and grabbed Lavinia by the arms, her concern and fear etched across her face.

"What are you doing? Get in the boat Lavinia!" she begged.

Lavinia shook her head, "I'll get the next one," she urged. "Take this boat and try to stay warm."

But Lucy shook her head, "What if you don't make it?" she asked.

"Oh Lucy," she said slowly, reaching up to cradle her face in her hands. "I'll get the next boat and we'll find each other in New York."

"Come on miss!" the officer urged, tugging on her arm.

Lavinia quickly slipped the diamond engagement ring off her finger and slipped it onto Lucy's. "If we don't end up on the same rescue ship," she started. "And you reach New York first, give this to Christopher. If anything should happen to me, you tell him that I'm sorry and that I love him very much."

"Lavinia please don't do this!" she cried, as the officer pulled her so that her feet were in the boat.

Stepping back, Lavinia watched as Lucy was placed between two elderly women. "You've been my best friend, Luce. A sister even," she said, as Lucy gripped the side of the lifeboat. "I'll see you soon."

And with that, she turned on her heels and took off down the deck as Lucy screamed after her.

"NO! LAVINIA NO!"

"AND LOWER AWAY!"

Lavinia fought the bitter cold that nipped at her bare skin, as she ran up the every sloping deck of the ship. She needed to find another way off. Another way to survive.

**Computer Lab. April 15****th****, 2024**

"Her heart rate is way to high!" Chris exclaimed, as Leonard took note of the drastic increase.

"What the fuck is she doing?" he muttered, looking at various charts on the PADD. "It's like she's running for her life," he shook his head.

Pavel shook his head, "What if she's being chased? Like someone is going after her?" he asked, fear laced in his voice. "What if someone kills her?"

Jim shook his head, "I can't watch this," he stood up from his seat. "I can't just sit here and wait for her heart to stop beating."

Scotty, who remained quiet in the near two hours, finally spoke. He turned to Chris, who stared at the screen in silence. "What are yeh gonna do, lad?" he asked, quietly.

Chris shook his head, "I don't know, Scotty," he ran his hand across his face. "I have no fucking idea."

**North Atlantic. 3 AM. April 15****th****, 1912.**

The wreckage of the grandest ship of the world, bobbed through the still waters as the vast and endless blanket of stars twinkled above. The sound of waves breaking against debris and bodies, mixed with the final sobs and screams of the dying souls, filled the evening air.

Bodies clung to bits and pieces of the ship, thrown overboard before she took her final plunge into the inky black water. Others bobbed around due to the lifebelts, which did nothing but keep the victims afloat, as they died a painful death. In the distance, a lone lifeboat made its way into the field of remains, the oars splashing as they hit the water.

"IS THERE ANYONE ALIVE OUT THERE?"

The voice echoed in the darkness, fooling the officer and his crew for the cries of survivors. They continued rowing through the bodies, reaching over to move them out of the way. They continued to scream and shout, demanding for anyone who survived this horrific tragedy to call out for help.

In the distance, a deck chair dipped and straightened out as Lavinia laid across it, half of her body submerged in the painfully cold water. Long after the Titanic went down, and the cries of the helpless thinned out, Lavinia found herself in and out of consciousness. It hurt to breath, move and think. Her tears had long subsided as they froze against her face, causing great discomfort as she tried to move her mouth to speak.

"Row, row, row your boat," she whispered, as her teeth chattered. "Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream."

Lucy would sing her the silly lullaby when it was bath time in the Watson-Campbell household when she was a small child. She felt her breathing slow as the minutes ticked by, her body slowly shutting down. In the distance she could hear them calling, searching for anyone who survived.

_I'm right here, _she thought. _Please save me. Please help me. Don't leave me here to die like the rest of them. _

But she was so tired. After watching and hearing the people around her die within the half an hour since the ship sank, the fear ran through her as she gripped onto the deck chair.

_I don't want to die. _

As she floated, dying slowly and painfully, she thought about the others. She hoped that Lucy made it safely away from the ship and towards the rescue ship. She thought about her brother, who lived in another time far away, and how she wanted to say so much more to him. She wanted to tell Leonard how much she loved him in such a short amount of time knowing him. She thought of Jim, Pavel and Scotty and how she would miss them so much.

She thought of Chris and wished she fought harder to get into the boat with Lucy, cursing at herself for foolishly acting on fear to run off on a sinking ship. How she could've made it out of this alive and into a boat, heading to New York. In a few short days she could've been married and the promise of a life with a man she grew to know in another time, would've consumed her life. The promise of babies, traveling the world and being a wife to a man who was respected and a true gentleman were gone. They went down with the Titanic that night, and now she would go down with it.

Lavinia whimpered as the shuddering breaths and the stabbing pain in her chest consumed her, as she thought of Hikaru. The man she gave herself to, only to have him wish death upon her when the truth came out. Now, after everything, Lavinia wished she'd told him earlier. While she loved Chris as a friend, Hikaru was the love of her life. He taught her things that no other person had ever taught her, helping her adapt to a life outside of Edwardian Society. Being a first class girl was meant nothing when she spent her time with him, traveling through the spectrum of decades and having him read history books to her. He was the first man who made her question her purpose in this world; no matter what decade it would be; taking on every challenge that came her way. The first man who showed her love, expressed in so many ways, whether it be by stolen glances of the physical act of lovemaking.

And now he hated her. He wanted her gone and out of his life, to die and fulfill her destiny that the records stated. Before all of this, Lavinia hoped she could find a loophole and avoid meeting her early demise and stay with him. Marry him and have his children and grow old together. Help him and the others fight Starfleet and help clear their names from the lies that surrounded them. But fate had a funny way of working, and it was clearly against her favor.

Closing her eyes, Lavinia felt her body relax into the arms of death, as the lifeboat rowed by her. Falling into a state of unconsciousness, Lavinia felt two hands pulling her up off the chair. The sound of her hair and dress ripping from the wood as the icicles broke away. Her eyes opened slowly, staring at the figure before her. But it was so dark and she couldn't think or see straight to get a good look at the person. It wasn't until the hard smash against her skull- _One, Two, Three- _and the sudden embrace of a million knives stabbing her entire body, that Lavinia excepted her fate. Slipping beneath the surface, Lavinia sank into the icy depths of the North Atlantic with her final thoughts of the life she would leave behind. Of the man who waited for her arrival in New York and of the man who stole her heart and broke it all at once. The girl out of time, who gained and lost so much in such a short period of time, slipped further and further into the abyss until she was nothing more but a speck floating into uncertainty.


	23. Chapter 23

Hikaru sat at the kitchen table, staring at the cracks and worn spots of the wood. A cup of coffee sat in front him, long cold and flat. His body screamed in exhaustion and defeat, his heart heavy with sadness. Every blink made his eyes burn and he was sure that one look in the mirror, would show that they were blood shot. Sleep didn't come easy.

In the hours following Lavinia's death, after they watched the heart monitor go flat, life had changed. The emotions of anger, sadness and total numbness consumed everyone as they left one by one from the computer lab. Pavel stayed in front of his computer, staring at the screen; almost hopeful that the monitor would beep the familiar sound of a heart beating. Scotty threw himself into work on the systems and his creations. A bottle of scotch was always near by for easy access.

Jim locked himself in his office and cleaned the entire room, throwing out the garbage and placing the dishes and cups into the sink. When Hikaru walked by a few days later, the door was slightly open and he could see the dark blue carpet for the first time in years.

Leonard avoided Christine, who tried to sooth his pain. It wasn't until after Lavinia died- six hours to be exact- that he found out of his and Lavinia's relations. Hikaru was too distraught to feel any anger from another secret kept from him. All the things he said and felt meant nothing an hour after he said it. As the days went out, the sound of glass shattering and objects hitting the walls and floors of the medical station could be heard. No one could miss the faint smell of whiskey and bourbon wafting out from under the door, signaling that Leonard started drinking again.

When it came to Chris, Hikaru could see how bad the loss affected him. Locked up in his office nearly all day, Chris tried to focus on the task of exposing Starfleet. He refused meals and invitations of a smoke here and there on the terrace outside of the rec room. He didn't want to socialize with anyone face to face, sending texts and emails to the others to find out about their progress in their work. The look on his face the moment Lavinia's heart monitor went flat would forever be etched in Hikaru's mind. The look of the world crashing down around him, as his fiancée took her final breaths. He watched her die, waiting out each and every excruciating moment that her heart failed to keep her alive. It was then that Hikaru realized how much she meant to Chris, and that maybe the man fell in love with her.

Hikaru spent most days in his room or in the botany lab, staring at the walls around him. Every time he closed his eyes, a series of images flashed in his head. The moment he met Lavinia, their first kiss on the beach in 1954, the first time he made love to her and the moment when he broke her heart. The awful things he said to her, wishing a for her to die and how he wanted her gone, were a constant reminder of how they got to this moment. How she ran out into the darkness in a fit of hysterics. The only person who still spoke to him was Scotty, who told him of the final moments he saw Lavinia. How she was dressed up and running down the hall in total panic, sobbing and ignoring their calls to stop. How she

All he wanted to do was go back and fix everything. But it was one of the rules that he wasn't allowed to break. He couldn't go back to save her, just like Nyota couldn't go back to save Spock. He last image of Lavinia would be of her crying, her face contorted with fear and sadness as he told her to leave.

…..

Pavel pushed back against his chair, rubbing his eyes with the heels of his hands. Standing up, he grabbed the empty coffee cups and bowls and made his way out of the computer lab and down the hall. He needed to eat, avoiding a hot meal for twelve hours. And a shower would probably do him good, his hair now greasy and his skin clammy with sweat.

The days went by in a blur after Lavinia died, and the young man felt nothing but sadness and failure. He watched his friends- his family- fall apart around him, throwing themselves into work and alcohol. The night she died, Pavel drank himself stupid, waking up the next afternoon with the worst hang over. After that, he locked all the alcohol in a closet and gave the key to Jim with strict orders to hide it.

While it was an awful loss for everyone, it motivated Pavel to work harder at his task. He spent hours taking apart and putting the computers back together, testing and tweaking the programs to better support them when they travelled again. It was the least he could do for the woman who was always polite to him, enjoying his corny jokes and tales of his Russian family he left behind. He wouldn't allow this job and task to claim anyone else that he loved and cared about.

….

Chris sat behind his desk, slouched down in the chair, staring at the items on his desk. The various PADDs scattered about with his work, a container holding pens and pencils, the stack of books that Lavinia left for him from her search in the library, photographs of his life before Starfleet ruined it. A bottle of a very aged and very strong whiskey and an empty glass sat in the middle of it all. Pulling the drawer to the left open, he pulled out several other objects and laid them out across the mess.

First, was the necklace he had given Lavinia for Christmas. When she vanished, he and Leonard went to her room and found it trashed. The vanity mirror was in shatters, shards of glass on the table and floor around it. The chair was thrown on it's back, and her belongings were all over the room. The chain had been broken, almost as if she had ripped it off in a fit of rage. Chris found it in the pile of books that fell off the dresser near the door.

The next object was a hair comb, encrusted with red and green stones in the shape of a rose. He and Lavinia were keeping an eye out for Jim during a mission in Italy, when she wandered into a shop. When he tried to pull her away from the counter, insisting that shopping wasn't part of the job, she quickly caught sight of the comb and begged for him to wait.

_But it's so pretty! I've never seen such a lovely hair comb!_

Unable to tell her no and the small pout that she gave him, Chris caved in and bought the comb for her. When they stepped out into the hot sun, the stones twinkled in the light as they sat in the blonde curls of her disguise.

After the various items that consisted of knickknacks she found from various trips, a book of poetry and a picture of them all on Christmas, Chris picked up the last item from the desk drawer. This one was kept in his office, buried beneath old reports and pens that ran out of ink or PADDs that were broken. The photograph that Lavinia had brought him, after she discovered their past, was still in the file that Jim kept in his office. Without any of them knowing, Chris slipped out of the station one afternoon, dressed in a various disguise that he never used and went to the library in town. He shifted through endless files and documents of the Watson-Campbell family and found the actual copy of the photograph. He quickly slipped the photograph into his pocket and slipped back into the building.

Having the actual copy didn't help sooth the pain he felt. He needed to look at it everyday to reassure himself that Lavinia was real and that she was there, no matter how brief the time was. Seven months went by in a blink of an eye, and during that time he came to know a brilliant woman. She was everything that his former girlfriends could never be; with her upbringing as a society girl that helped such qualities. But as she became more adapted to his world, the culture and language, he admired her insistence of continuing her normal actions. He fell in love with her, though her heart belonged to another.

Grabbing the frame that sat next to the books, Chris pulled the back off and took the old photograph out and replaced it with the one he stole from the library. Once the back was back on, he turned the frame over and sighed.

"I'm sorry I couldn't save you," he said softly, running his finger down the glass.

…

Pavel was returning from the kitchen, a fresh cup of coffee and a sandwich in his hands. He took a shower and pulled on the cleanest set of clothes in his closet, making a note to do laundry later on. He needed to put the last few touches to the program before doing a test run, praying that it would finally work after two years of dead ends.

He turned at the corner and started the long walk to the lab down the hall, yawning as he moved. Moving past one of the empty labs, he heard a crash and the sound of glass shattering. He stopped quickly and strained his ears to hear what would come next, hoping that it wasn't an intruder.

"Hello?"

It echoed down the empty hallway, bouncing against the walls. A call that no one would return in the way that Pavel hoped.

"Shit.." he muttered, biting his lip.

The sound of a whimpering cry could be heard in the room next to the empty lab. Pavel moved slowly down the hall and stopped against the wall, inching closer to the door. Peering around the doorframe, he didn't see anything at first. Just empty tables and empty jars. He shook his head and turned to walk away, when his eye caught movement on the floor behind the table.

A delicate foot, clad in a dark shoe, stuck out from behind the table. The foot moved in jerky movements and the whimpering grew louder, almost in a shuddering, gasping jumble of crying and struggling for air.

Pavel stepped into the room and set the plate and cup down on the table near the door. He slowly walked towards the table, holding his breath in fear of what he would find. Maybe it was Nyota, returning after her abrupt trip to god knows where. He reached the table and slowly moved around it, the person coming into view before his eyes.

Dressed in soaked gown of charcoal and blue, the icicles that covered her hair and eyelashes, Pavel shook his head.

"Oh my god."

Blood seeped out of the wound near her hairline, her eyes turning to look at him. She struggled to speak, as she began to cry.

"Lavinia!"


	24. Chapter 24

"Lavinia!"

Pavel quickly got down on the floor and took one of her trembling hands into his. He gasped at how cold they were and quickly tried to rub some warmth into them, though it would be completely impossible to raise her body temperature.

"What happened? Oh god, why are you soaked?" he cried, as he tried to figure out what to do.

Lavinia whimpered, her lips trembling and her teeth chattering, keeping her from making any other sound.

"I'm going to get some help," he said, lightly touching her ice cold cheek. "Please don't leave again."

With a brief nod of his head, Pavel scrambled up to this feet and took off out of the room and back towards the main offices of the station. When he reached the office in question, Pavel began to pound on the door.

"OPEN UP!" he shouted, as his fist hit the wood over and over again.

The sound of shuffling papers and footsteps could be heard behind the door, which swung open quickly.

"What the hell are you doing?" Chris snapped, reeking of whiskey. "Are you out of your mind?"

Pavel grabbed his arm, "I need help," he exclaimed. "It's serious!"

Chris allowed the kid to drag him down the hall, shuffling behind him as they walked.

"LEN! HELP!" Pavel shouted, as moved quickly down the hall.

"Kid, I don't think the doctor is capable of doing anything that involves medical treatment," Chris said, as Pavel tugged on his arm.

"Just shut up and move faster!" Pavel snapped, as he reached the room in question.

A door slamming against the wall startled them, as they turned to see Leonard standing in the doorway of medical.

"What the fuck are you yellin' for?" he snapped, looking at them with anger-fueled eyes. "I thought I made myself clear that I ain't fixin' no broken bones."

Pavel shook his head and pulled Chris into the room, "Pavel, seriously!" Chris huffed. "What the hell are you doing?"

Pavel simply moved behind him and pushed Chris closer to the table, ignoring his protests and struggling as they moved around the table.

"Dammit Pavel, I'm no-" he stopped when his foot hit something solid and heard the whimpering.

Turning his head, Chris gasped. Lavinia looked up at him with wide eyes, tears leaking out of them as she shook violently on the floor. Chris moved around her and got down onto his knees, taking her hand into his.

"MCCOY! GET THE FUCK IN HERE NOW!" he screamed, before turning to Pavel. "Get blankets, lots of blankets."

Pavel nodded, "What about clothes?" he asked.

Chris nodded as McCoy came bursting into the room, "Get lots of clothes- socks, sweaters, anything warm."

Pavel quickly ran out of the room, pushing past Leonard as he moved towards the table.

"What the fu-Holy shit!" the doctor cried, getting down on the floor next to them. "Shit! How the hell?"

Chris shook his head, "I don't know," he said, as Lavinia whimpered. "Shh, it's alright, Lavinia."

Her eyes moved from his face to Leonard's, as they assessed the situation before them.

"We need to move her now," Leonard said, standing up. "I have to get her hook up to a monitor and we need to raise her body temperature."

With his help, Chris managed to pull Lavinia up into a sitting position. Leonard had to wrap her arms around his neck, since she couldn't move with the violent shivering. Scooping his arms under her knees, Chris pulled her up off the floor and into his arms. Lavinia's head fell against his shoulder, her hair soaking the shirt. Following Leonard out of the room, they moved quickly down the hall to medical, time running out quickly.

"I've got you," Chris said, holding her tightly against him. "I've got you."

As Chris settled her down on a gurney, Leonard moved about the room quickly, grabbing supplies. Chris moved a portable heart monitor over and turned it on, as Pavel came crashing into the room with Jim right behind him.

"Oh my god, is she back?" Jim asked, moving towards the gurney.

Leonard set the various hyposprays down on the tray near the gurney and grabbed the scalpel. Taking hold of the front of her gown, he quickly cut the dress open and silently thanked the lord that she at least had something on underneath. Chris pressed the pads onto her chest and made sure the machine could pick up her heartbeat.

"I need to assess the head wound and get her body temp above freezing," Leonard said, examining the gash that still oozed of blood. "Shit, she might need some blood. Who knows how much she's lost from this wound."

Jim shook his head, "Did she say what happened?" he asked, as they moved about.

Pavel shook his head, "She can't speak. I tried to get her to talk but she couldn't talk."

Jim squeezed his shoulder, an attempt to comfort the young man. "What do you need us to do?" he asked, looking up at Leonard and Chris.

"I need you to get my med-kit from the desk- the one with the sutures. And the rubbing alcohol from the cabinet over there," he nodded to the wall.

He then turned to Pavel, "Start unfolding those blankets and get those clothes ready," he said.

As Jim and Pavel got to work, Leonard continued to examine the external damage. "Check her toes," he said, as Jim set the med-kid and bottle down near her head. "Make sure she can move them."

Chris moved from her side to the foot of the bed, unlacing the ribbons to her shoes. He then cupped her left foot in his hands and started rubbing them, trying to get some circulation and warmth into them.

"Can you move your toes for me?" he asked, as Leonard got to work on her head.

Lavinia let out a cry as the alcohol burned the gash on her head, her body squirming on the table. Jim held her shoulders down as Leonard got to work, running the threat through the needle.

"Come on, Vin," Chris begged. "Try to move your toes."

A few minutes later, her stocking clad toes moved up and down slowly. Chris let out a laugh and lightly squeezed her foot.

"That's good, baby," he checked the other foot, watching as the toes moved as well. "Very good."

Once the gash was stitched up, Leonard went to work on raising her body temperature.

"Somebody get Scotty and tell him to bring every heater he can find in his workshop," Leonard ordered. "I don't care if they turn his place into a goddamn desert in the middle of Africa."

Pavel quickly ran out, leaving the blankets and clothes on the chair. Jim moved from the top of the gurney down by her feet, as Chris took his place at her side.

"We need to get her out of these clothes," Chris said, as Leonard kept his eyes on the heart monitor. "She wont be able to warm up if she's dressed in this!"

Leonard nodded, "Get those clothes, Jim," he nodded to the chair. "Help me get her up."

Together, Chris and Leonard sat her up on the gurney. Lavinia tiled to the right, her head colliding against Chris' shoulder as Leonard cut the back of the gown open.

"It's alright," Chris assured her, as the Leonard cut the sleeve of the gown.

"S-s-s-o c-c-cold," she stuttered, her body tense and wracked with pain. She began to sob, wishing she could say more.

Leonard passed the scalpel to Chris, "Cut the other side."

Chris took it and moved Lavinia off of him, cutting the other half of the gown. Grabbing the shirt from Jim, Leonard pulled it over her head and with much difficulty; they managed to get her arms through the sleeves. Once the shirt was on, Leonard reached under and ripped the straps to the damp camisole. It took a lot effort and keeping their eyes off of her body, as they pulled the rest o the dress off. The stockings came off and socks went onto her feet, Chris and Jim closed their eyes and Leonard cut the old fashioned underwear off.

"Dammit Lavinia, this is not the time to be modest," he snapped, as he pulled the old pair of pajama pants up.

Lavinia wished she could hit him, but the narrow-eyed look she game him would suffice.

"I'm not even looking, Vinia,' Jim said, his head turned towards the ceiling. "I promise."

By the time Scotty and Pavel returned with heaters, Lavinia was dressed in an excessive amount of socks and sweaters. They moved her to another gurney, one that was completely dry, and covered her in blankets.

As Pavel and Jim helped Scotty, Hikaru came running into medical.

"I heard all the commotion in the hall," he said, glancing at Chris and Leonard hovering over a bed. "What happened?"

Chris turned around to look at him, moving slowly to the side. Lavinia slowly turned her head and made eye contact with him.

"Oh my god," he ran towards the bed. "Lavinia! What happened?"

She looked at him, a mix of emotions flashing across her face. She then looked at her brother, who nodded lightly.

"She needs her rest," he said, looking up at Hikaru. "We'll move her later once her body temp is up to my liking."

Hikaru nodded and Leonard continued, "I'll stay with her to keep an eye on her," he said. "Jim, can you get her room set up? Make sure there's enough heat and blankets for her?"

Jim made his way over to them and nodded, "Of course," he said. He then leaned down and kissed Lavinia's forehead. "We're going to take real good care of you, hummingbird."

She closed her eyes and opened them again, silently thanking him. Jim gave her one more dazzling smile, and ran out to complete his task. Pavel pulled a chair over to the bed and placed a heater onto it, making sure it was working correctly.

"That should do it," Scotty said, turning the last of the portable heaters on. "Ah have ta make sure the heating is good in her room. Should take an hour or two ta tweak."

Leonard nodded, "Thank you, Scotty."

The Scotsman nodded and lightly ruffled Lavinia's damp hair, "Yeh scared the bejesus out us all, lass," he shook his head. "Ah can't tell yeh how relieved ah am to see yeh."

"I'm gonna go check the security feeds," Pavel said. "See if I can pull up anything from that room."

Once they left, the room grew quiet, the only sound of the heart monitor beeping and the occasional whimper from Lavinia.

"What do you want me to do?" Hikaru asked, unsure of what to do for Lavinia.

"I think we have it covered," Leonard said as he cleaned the supplies up. "Thanks."

Hikaru flinched, "B-but surely there's gotta be something I can do!" he said, turning his attention to Lavinia.

Her head was turned away from him, avoiding his stare. Chris sat by her side and kept track on the screen next to her bed.

"Kid, we've got it under control," Leonard said, as Hikaru kept his attention on Lavinia. When Hikaru made no intention on leaving, Leonard let out a sigh. "How about you make some of that soup? The one that you're famous for?"

Hikaru nodded, "I'll go start it now," he said, moving towards the door. "And some tea."

He took one last look at Lavinia, who wouldn't turn her head to look at him, and left. Once she was assured that Hikaru wasn't in the room, she turned her head and looked at Chris. He nodded and took her hand it his, brining it up to his lips. He placed a firm kiss against her hand and held it tightly.

"Get some rest," he said, pulling the top blanket further up. "I'll wake you up when it's time to eat."

Lavinia nodded slowly and closed her eyes, letting the exhaustion and aches of her body take over.


	25. Chapter 25

Lavinia laid quietly on her bed nestled beneath layers of blankets and quilts, watching her brother move around. Twelve hours after her arrival and a short nap, they waited for the numbness in her legs to subside enough for her to move. She ate very little, her stomach upset over the trauma she endured and the overall exhaustion she felt.

"Do you want me to stay with you?" Leonard asked, coming towards the bed.

He placed an extra blanket over the many others, before resting his hand against her forehead. While she was alert and able to move every joint of her body, Leonard still worried about the potential for pneumonia. He was worried to the point that he checked her temperature and listened to her breathing every hour on the hour.

Lavinia nodded, "Please," she whispered.

Chucking off his shoes, Leonard crawled into the vacant spot next to her and wrapped his arm around her. Lavinia shifted closer and rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. Leonard gripped her tightly and kissed the top of her head.

"I missed you so much," he said, his voice raw with emotion. "Didn't know what to do without you."

She knew how bad her disappearance was on Leonard, just by looking at him. It didn't help that he reeked of booze, stronger than what her father would drink after long stressful days at the office. Leonard aged if were possible, in the time she ran out of the station and back to Titanic. Everyone did. The boys looked haggard and wasted away, as if they avoided meals and showers. Their razors were most likely catching dust on the shelves in their bathrooms instead of hair.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled quietly. "Did mean to leave."

Leonard shushed her, "I know."

Lavinia let out a small whimper as she flexed her leg, her knee stinging with pain. She couldn't remember exactly how she managed to bruise her entire knee, but she was sure it happened during her fight for survival as the ship went down. She had yet to explain to the others what exactly happened to her, only saying that she was in the water and it was cold.

"I love you," she said quietly, as her body eased her into sleep.

"I love you too, Vina."

…..

The next day, Lavinia was moved to the rec room, and spent most of the day on the couch watching television. Leonard fussed over her, brining her hot drinks and bowls of soup, before she told him to take a bath and shave. He protested and continued to do so until Chris made his way down the hall to smoke on the balcony. When he heard her weak voice, begging for Leonard to clean up, he poked his head into the room and said he would watch her. With many grumblings, Leonard finally gave in and told Chris to make sure she ate enough soup and to monitor her temperature.

"Do you want another blanket?" Chris asked, a half an hour later.

Lavinia shook her head, "Too many. I can't breathe."

Chris pulled a few off and set them over the back of the couch, before sitting down on the edge of the cushion she laid on.

"Do you want more soup?" he asked.

Lavinia shook her head, "No," her voice scratchy. "I just want to lay here and not think of anything."

"I could leave if you want to be alone."

He stood up to move away, when her hand shot out from under the mass of blankets, her fingers wrapping around his wrist. Chris flinched at how cold she was against his warm skin, and quickly knelt down next to her.

"Your fingers are ice cold!" he exclaimed, rubbing her hand between his. "Why didn't you say anything?"

She shrugged, "I thought it was normal, considering I was in the water for so long."

Chris sighed and continued rubbing some warmth back into her hands, "Why do you look so much older than the last time I saw you?" she asked.

He paused his actions and looked at her, "What do you mean older?" he asked, taking her other hand into his.

"All of you do," she corrected herself. "And you all reek of booze. I can smell it in the hallways and on your clothes."

"Things have been really tough around here," he shook his head. "We thought you were dead."

Lavinia nodded, "I know." She glanced down at the ugly plaid blanket, which made her nose itch with intensity. "But I didn't. I came back, how I don't know, and I wish you would all take care of yourselves."

Chris shook his head, "That's not our top priority, Lavinia. Especially when you disappear without a trace and come back soaking wet and shivering to the point that your teeth were rattling in your head!" he yelled.

She flinched at his tone and his face softened, "I'm sorry," he shook his head. "I didn't mean to yell."

"It's alright," she shifted against the pillow. "I understand."

"It's just.." he started, looking down at her hand in his. "We watched you die."

Lavinia's eyes went wide, "What?" she asked.

He nodded, "Len implanted a tiny tracker on you, which only showed us your stats," he sighed. "We watched your heart rate increase and then your body temperature dropped so low. Then your heart started slowing down until eventually.." he trailed off. "It stopped."

"How-" she cleared her throat. "How long have I been gone for?" she asked, almost bracing herself for the truth to hit her. Men didn't grow that much facial hair and pick up drinking habits in a day or two. Lavinia knew something was off about the entire thing.

Chris looked at her, quietly pondering if he should tell her the exact truth. "You've been gone for six months."

…..

When night fell and the moon and stars shined brightly in the sky, Lavinia was filled with dread. Sleeping was the worst part of her day, other than the constant watchful eyes that followed her around. Three days after her return, Lavinia felt like a prisoner in her own room. Leonard had put her on mandatory bed rest, only allowing her out a few times a day. But even so, she wasn't allowed to be alone in a room. Leonard didn't want Hikaru around her, making sure the younger man was out on missions with someone else or working on his reports.

"_After what he said to you, he has no goddamn right to be near you! I'm your brother an your doctor and this is the end of the discussion!" _

Finally, after much annoyance that took over her, Lavinia managed to have the evenings to herself. She pointed out that mostly everyone would be sleeping in the late evening hours and that she could always lock her door. While being alone for the first time in nearly four days, it had its severe consequences. With no one to talk to for almost nine hours, Lavinia's mind began to churn, making her think of the events that happened. Falling asleep was difficult, her body taking forever to relax under the sheets. When she finally did fall asleep, all she dreamed about was Titanic.

_Sloping decks and the screams. Running towards the stern and the cold air stabbing her all over, the railings like ice. Watching the bodies sliding down the promenades, hitting the water and the submerged bow. People jumping overboard, taking the long fall to the icy waters below. Gripping onto the railing and climbing over as the ship broke in half and fell to it's side, before being pulled up. The water growing closer and closer as the stern sank faster and faster. The water enveloping her into darkness and bitterness. Bringing her into death. _

Lavinia woke up with a gasp, her chest heaving under the weight of blankets and of fear. Her skin was covered in goose bumps, as her body trembled with the mixture of fear and the chill that sank into her bones again. Throwing off the blankets, Lavinia climbed out of bed and picked up her dressing gown. Once she tied it firming around her body, she unlocked the bedroom door and quietly slipped out into the hallway.

Taking the stairs, Lavinia made her way down to the next floor of dorms, and silently moved towards the end of the hall. Knocking lightly against the aged wood of the bedroom, Lavinia waited quietly, peering over her shoulder. When she heard the soft "come in", she quickly turned the knob and pushed the door open slowly.

Chris looked up from his spot in bed, reading glasses perched on his nose and a book in his hands. When Lavinia appeared around the door, she paused and looked at him.

"What's wrong?" he asked, setting the book down in his lap.

She looked down at her feet, "I-I couldn't sleep," she blushed slightly. "Could I stay here with you?"

Chris nodded, "Come," he pulled the blankets down. "You'll catch a chill from the draft outside."

Lavinia shut the door behind her and quickly made her way across the room, untying her robe as she went. Once she pulled it off and placed it over the footboard of the bed, Lavinia climbed in and curled up into a ball next to him. Chris covered her up and watched as she shifted against the mattress, bouncing her head a few times against the pillow.

"Comfortable?" he asked, once she laid still.

Lavinia nodded, "Very," she yawned. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he picked up the book again, turning his attention to it. "Couldn't sleep?" he asked.

"Nightmares," she sighed, glancing around the room.

Chris' room was much more different than Hikaru's or Leonard's, opting for older furniture rather than the newer and sleeker stuff that the other rooms had. The walls were painted in a deep maroon and he hardly had any photographs on them, save for a few pieces of artwork. The bedspread was a deep green, blending well with the dark oak bed and tables. The design of the room reminded her of the woods, picturing a cabin nestled between pine trees.

"What were they about?" he asked, placing the book down again.

Lavinia looked up at him, catching the look of concern he gave her. Sharing a bed with a man wasn't something that Lavinia was hardly new to. For a while, she shared a bed with Hikaru and Leonard stayed with her a few days earlier while she napped. But this was Chris. Her former fiancé and a man who she cared deeply for. Had she lived in 1912, they would've been married and sharing a bed on a daily basis. But that never happened, and now here she was, back from the dead and laying curled up into a tense ball of nerves in his bed.

She blinked and cleared her throat, "How I died," she said softly, hearing the intake of breath from him. "Do you want to know how it happened?" she asked.

She didn't wait for him to answer when she went into the details, the need to get it off her chest was too great. "I was coming to New York for our wedding on the Titanic. It was just me and my maid Lucy, alone for the voyage…" she started off.

Re-telling the story to him was difficult, yet it felt good to get it out. She told him about leaving Lucy to take her spot on the lifeboat. The running and screaming as the ship rose higher and higher against the sky, covered in a mass of twinkling lights. The aftermath and listening to the screams and cries of those who died around her.

"I watched so many people die," she said quietly. "I can still see them. Hear them. Begging for the boats to come back," she shook her head.

By then, Chris had abandoned his book and moved to lay on his side. He knew the story about Titanic. Even though it happened over a hundred years ago, countries and the history channels on the television made sure to keep the memory of the disaster alive come every April 14th. He knew that one boat came back, only picking up a few survivors- most who died later on. A few years ago, long before Starfleet caused him to flee underground- he went to an exhibit in Manhattan that showcased artifacts of the luxury liner. Place settings and personal mementoes, the copy of the Grand Staircase and the rooms for each social class. A deck chair that survived the years of decay and utter darkness.

Now, many years later, he began to wonder if Lavinia had used any of the items he saw. He tried to picture her all done up for dinner, making her way down that lovely staircase with the dome lighting above her. How she spent four days at sea, walking up and down those stairs everyday, getting closer and closer to New York and to him.

"I gave her my ring.."

Chris shook himself out of his thoughts and looked back at her, "Who?"

"Lucy," she looked down at her hand, bare from any diamond ring. "I told her that I would be okay and that I'd see her in New York. I gave her the ring just in case we didn't end up on the same rescue ship and to give to you if she reached New York first."

Chris watched as a range of emotions flashed across her face, "Then I told her that if anything should happen to me," she let out a shaky sigh. "That she was to tell you that I was sorry and that I loved you very much."

"Oh Vinia," he said softly, as she started to cry.

He scooted closer and pulled her into his arms, "I could've gotten onto that boat with her! There was plenty of room and I could've made it to New York and we could've gotten married like we were supposed to!"

Chris kissed her forehead, "But you're here now," he said.

She looked up at him, "I don't want you to think that I didn't get onto the boat because I didn't want to marry you.." she shook her head.

"I know," he assured her. "I know that wasn't the reason."

"I was so afraid of leaving her behind," she whimpered. "Lucy was always there for me when my mother wasn't. She's my best friend and I left her alone in a city that she never been too."

Chris rubbed her back; "If she made it to New York then she probably went back to Europe. Or maybe she waited until your parents came home."

"Can we look for her?" she asked. "I know I can't travel until Len says it's okay, but can we find out what happened to her?"

Chris nodded, "Of course we can," he watched as her eyes drifted shut. "Try to get some sleep. You need your rest," he said, pulling the blanket up a bit higher.

"I do love you.." she said quietly, traces of exhaustion filling her voice. "Despite all of my bad choices, I love you."

He knew that she spoke of Hikaru, among many other things, and he made a mental note to himself to talk to her about it at another time. Instead, he kissed her on the forehead and turned around to shut the lamp off. Once the room filled with darkness, Chris settled back against the pillows and stared up at the ceiling. The sound of Lavinia breathing lightly next to him slowly lulled him into sleep. But as soon as he closed his eyes, all he could see was Lavinia sinking into the abyss of the ocean.


	26. Chapter 26

**November 2024. **

As the first month of Lavinia's return came to an end, the young woman found herself at a complete an utter loss. Her nightmares consumed her life day in and day out, leaving her in complete distress by the time she pulled herself out of them. Eventually, she moved into Chris room, instead of slinking through the halls at three in the morning. During the day, she would hide in his office, sleeping on the sofa or writing in a journal of all her memories. After her near death experience, her mind opened up and released a wave of memories. From the time she was a child to the night her parents told her about taking the passage to New York on the _RMS Titanic. _At first, she wrote on scraps on paper, ignoring the use of a PADD. Eventually, Jim gave her a leather bound journal and a pack of pens and told her to have fun.

Once Chris finished his work for the day, late into the evening hours, he would wake her up and they would retire to his room. Some nights, she would already be in bed asleep, a book discarded to her side. The only people who knew of their sleeping arrangements were Jim and Leonard, whom found the situation shocking. Jim only knew of the situation, after Leonard found them asleep in bed and threw a shit fit at them. When she stated that had this been 1912, she and Chris would've already been married and consummated the relationship by now. This shut him up quickly and he muttered his opinions and left it alone.

Now, a week before Thanksgiving, Lavinia found herself bundled up in sweaters and socks, laying back against the pillows with her journal. The pen scratching against the paper was the only sound filtering through the room, before a wet-hacking cough ripped through her chest. Balancing the journal on a bent knee, Lavinia used her other hand to cover her mouth. Outside, it was cold and rainy, the sun hidden deep behind the clouds. Chris was off with Scotty and Pavel in god knows where, leaving her alone in his room.

There was a knock on the door, "Lavinia?"

She looked up at the closed door and cleared her throat, "Who is it?" she called out.

"It's Jim," she sighed in relief. "I brought you something to eat."

Sticking the pen between the pages, Lavinia closed her journal and set it on the night stand. "Come in."

The door opened slowly and Jim appeared, balancing a tray in one hand, before moving the other off the door knob. He smiled at her as he stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

"What did you make?" she asked, trying to keep the cough that fought its way up.

He set the tray down on her lap, "Soup and tea- lemon and honey this time," he said, settling down on the chair near by. "I figured you could use something warm in your body. Bones said you still have the chills and the tremors keep popping up."

Lavinia nodded, "Thank you, Jim," she said, managing a small smile.

Slowly, she picked up the spoon, gripping it tightly as her hands shook. Closing her eyes, Lavinia let out a shaky sigh, before hacking out a nasty cough. Jim quickly stood up and moved the tray away and sat down next to her, patting her back as she coughed.

"Easy, easy.." he murmured, as she shook with each violent cough. "Jesus.."

Once she stopped, the wheezing took over and she shuddered. "MmOkay.." she gasped, coughing twice before settling back.

Jim reached over and touched her forehead with his hand, his eyes going wide. "Shit! You're burning up!" he exclaimed, as she moaned.

Standing quickly, Jim moved one arm under her knees and the other wrapped around her body and he hoisted her out of bed. "I'm taking you to medical," he said, as she began to protest. "If I don't take you, then Chris will."

The entire trip down to medical was filled with silence, along with the occasional hacking cough from Lavinia. When they finally reached her brother's station, they found him working over a table with vials and syringes. The door slamming open startled him, as he looked up from his work. But when he saw Lavinia in Jim's arms, he quickly threw out his remark of idiocy and stood up.

"What happened!" he demanded, as Jim set her down on a gurney.

"She has a fever and the most disgusting cough I've ever heard," Jim said, as Leonard started his normal checkup.

"Hey!" Lavinia scolded, before coughing again.

Leonard cursed, "How long have you been coughin' like that?" he asked, grabbing the tricorder off the table.

She shrugged, "Not long.."

He stared at her, his eyes glaring and his expression of one to not mess with. "Fine… a week."

"A WEEK!" he shouted, as she winced.

"Please don't yell," she begged, her head beginning to throb. "Just do what you do and let me go back to my room."

Jim snickered, "Your room? I thought it was Chris' room?" he asked, as Leonard took her temperature and other vitals.

"Shut it, Kirk," she hissed, as her brother pushed him out of the way.

"Open," he nodded to her mouth, holding a long cotton swab-tipped stick in his hand. "I need to see if you have strep," he said, as she eyed the tool in his hand.

Lavinia did what she was told, kicking him as he took a sample from her throat. It left her shuddering, gagging and coughing all at once, as he bagged it. He then listened to her chest, shaking his head as he listened.

"I think you have pneumonia."

"W-what?" she asked, pulling the sleeves of her sweater down over her hands. "That doesn't sound good."

Leonard shook his head, "It's not," he confirmed. "Especially in your case, since you were floating around in the goddamn North Atlantic for who knows how long," he moved to the supply cabinets. "I don't even know how long this has been inside you!"

Lavinia watched as he grabbed a bottle from the cabinet along with several other items, growing nervous as he moved around the room.

"I want Chris.." she said softly, as he came over with the items. "I want Chris."

Jim stepped forward, "He's working, hon," he rubbed her shoulder. "I can stay with you if you'd like."

As sweet as the offer was, Lavinia only wanted one other person at the moment. "I want Chris," she repeated again, gritting her teeth as she said it. "Don't touch me, Len," she hissed.

Leonard watched as she struggled through another body wracking cough, which ended with her throwing up on the floor, barley missing Jim's shoes.

"Dammit Lavinia!" Leonard snapped, as Jim grabbed a stack of paper towels to cover the mess. "Don't be a goddamn baby!"

She began to sob, "Please!" she begged. "Please, please, please! Don't touch me! I don't want you!" she grew frantic each second, as they watched her. "I can't…I can't breathe!"

Leonard set the bottle of medicine down and stepped forward, slowly putting his hands on her shoulders. "Lavinia.." he said quietly, as she sobbed and coughed. "It's going to be alright."

She shook her head, "No, no, no. It's not," she cried, as he pulled her into his arms. "You don't understand.."

She had yet to tell the others about what happened, simply saying it was a bad accident that included really cold water and she left it at that. Eventually, the truth would come out and Lavinia was sure that they'd want to go back and explore more options as to what happened to her. Especially when they'd find out about the person who gave her a nice gash on her head.

"I'm going to give you something to make you feel better," Leonard said softly, easing her up off his shoulder. "And you're going to stay here for a little bit and rest and when Chris comes back we'll move you."

She nodded frantically, shivering as she did so. Every part of her body screamed in agony, the feeling that she was being ripped apart from the inside out. Leonard gave her a small dose of cough syrup, this time without a hypospray, before giving her a light sedative. He laid her down on the gurney, before moving to clear the supplies. The last thing Lavinia saw, as the sedative took over, were the blue eyes of Jim Kirk watching her with a concerned look on his face, as he covered her up with a blanket.

….

Chris shuffled out of the wet clothes and dropped them into the laundry chute, before grabbing a dry pair of pants and shirt from the pile of clean clothes. Pulling them on, he grabbed a towel and stepped out of the laundry room and headed up to the main floor of the station. He was glad to be back home and out of the cold, ready to climb into bed and sleep. He was also glad to be back for Lavinia, who would no doubt be waiting for him upstairs. In the last month, she hardly cracked a smile or laughed around the others. Chris was the only one who got her to smile, though it never really met her eyes, or laugh.

Whenever Hikaru was in the same room with them, she would keep herself close to his side. Or to Leonard's. Chris knew that deep down Lavinia still cared for the younger man, though she insisted that whatever feelings she had for him died that night when he flew into rage. For a while, Chris wondered if she truly cared for him like she claimed, or if she was using him for emotional support. It was too early to really tell, and Chris didn't want to pester her with such observations. But eventually, he would have to find out for his own heart.

Making the trip up the stairs to the kitchen, Chris spotted Jim waiting out in the hall. When the younger man turned and saw him, relief flashed across his face.

"There you are!" Jim said, moving quickly towards him.

"What did you do now, Kirk?"

Jim shook his head, "This time, nothing," he insisted, his face serious. "It's Lavinia."

Chris quickly snapped to attention and followed Jim down the hallway, asking twenty questions a mile a minute. When they stepped into medical, Chris quickly made his way to her side and observed what he saw. She was still out cold, lying on her side with a heavy blanket over her. She was much paler than this morning, with obvious circles under her eyes. But the wheezing that came from each breath she took, the wet crackle in her throat and chest, is what caught his attention.

"Pneumonia."

Chris looked up at Leonard, who sat at his desk filling out a chart. "How bad?" he asked.

Leonard sighed, "If she waited another day.." he shook his head. "She was close, Chris. Very close."

The older man shook his head, looking down at the sleeping woman. Ever since her disappearance, Leonard threw himself into an emotional pit of despair. Not only did he learn about his real identity and that he had an older sister who "died", he found her and lost her all at once. Then she came back from the dead and he was on her like a hound dog, making sure she was taking care of herself. Leonard McCoy didn't have any other family, except for an ex-wife and a girlfriend who continued to work as their spy.

Lavinia stirred and opened her eyes slowly, "Chris?" her voice was hoarse, cracking as she spoke.

Chris leaned down and took her hand into his, "Hey," he managed a small smile. "I hear that you have a nasty cold.."

Leonard and Jim excused themselves, promising to return with soup and tea. Chris nodded and turned his attention back to Lavinia, answering all her questions about what happened.

….

"So like.. what if Chris and Lavinia decide to get married for real?"

Leonard set the pot on the stove to boil, "What?" he asked, moving to the cabinet.

Jim shrugged, "I mean, technically their engaged so that wouldn't make it weird."

"I don't think we'll be expecting a wedding anytime soon, Kid."

"But…" he looked at Leonard. "They're sleeping in the same bed!"

Leonard went to the fridge to pull out the soup, "So? Just beause they're sleeping in the same bed don't mean shit!"

"Bones! Your sister is sleeping in the same bed with her finance, who's our boss and you're okay with this?" Jim asked.

"Jim, what are you trying to ask me?" Leonard sighed, turning to look at him.

Jim shrugged, "I'm just trying to grasp the fact that you're totally fine with Chris having a sexual relationship with your sister."

Leonard rolled his eyes, "They're not having sex."

"How do you know?" Jim asked. "Did you ask them?"

When Leonard didn't respond right away, Jim groaned. "Oh god, you did."

"Look, it was the only way I'd let them share the same damn bed. I don't need my sister getting involved with someone sexually and god forbid she gets pregnant! We aren't in a safe situation for babies."

Jim sighed, "I can't believe you."

Leonard shook his head, "Call me overprotective, but she's my sister. I love her and I only want the best for her."

"You don't think Chris is good for her?" he asked, frowning. "Because it's quite obvious that he's so in love with her. And I think she loves him too."

Popping two bowls into the microwave, Leonard moved back to the stove to check on the water. "Chris is perfect for her, "he said, shaking his head. "It's smart, mature and he understands their situation a lot more than anyone else could. And I know he loves her."

"But…"

"But I think part of her still loves Hikaru," he shrugged. "I have a bad feeling that in the end, someone will get hurt. Either it's going to be Chris or its' going to be her."

Jim shook his head, "Of course she loves Hikaru. He was her first love," he pushed the sugar bowl around on the countertop. "But he also broke her heart."

Leonard looked at him, "You don't think she would give him a second chance?" he asked.

"I wouldn't give him another chance, Bones." Jim shook his head, "That kid said such awful things to her and it destroyed her. And then she disappeared for six months and left us thinking she was dead."

The microwaved beeped and Jim pulled the two bowls of soup out, setting them on the counter and picking up the next two. "I blame him for everything that's happened to her,' he said.

They finished putting lunch together onto two trays, walking slowly back to medical.

"I don't think you need to worry about what they do in bed anyways," Jim said, as they walked. "I'm pretty sure that's happened already."

Leonard frowned, "What?" he asked. "I don't understand these hidden codes you kids use these days."

Jim snorted, "What I mean is that Lavinia and Hikaru totally did it already," he shot a look over at the doctor. "I'm like, 99.9 % sure that they did the nasty."

The older man walked in silence before cursing, "That little shit!"

Jim walked ahead, snickering as he did, before whistling a merry tune that echoed off the walls.


	27. Chapter 27

Several days later, Lavinia found herself still sick. Sick and annoyed, with the constant hovering from the others. Mostly the hovering from Jim, Chris and Leonard. Pavel and Scotty knew when to leave her alone, while Hikaru kept himself away from her for fear of being screamed at.

"If you ask me if I want a cup of tea, I will throw this at you."

Jim held up his hands in defeat, as Lavinia shook the remote at him. He slowly backed away from the couch, snatching the tray consisting an empty bowl and teacup.

"I was just asking!" he insisted, as she glared at him.

"You tell Leonard that I've had enough tea and soup to last me a lifetime!"

Jim cursed and mumbled as he left the room, snapping at someone as he stormed down the hall. Lavinia closed her eyes and sighed, coughing lightly. She heard footsteps on the hardwood floor and the door closing shut with a soft click.

"You should be nicer to him," Chris said, as he moved across the room. "He's worried about you."

Lavinia opened her eyes and watched as he moved around the bed, climbing in next to her. "It's annoying being babied by everyone," she mumbled.

Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulders and she moved closer to him, resting her head against his chest. "We're just worried about you, Vin. I'm worried about you."

"M'fine," she mumbled, closing her eyes. "Just tired."

"You feel warm," he noted, his hands brushing against her bare arm. "Did Len come up to check your temperature?" he asked, touching her forehead.

Lavinia opened her eyes and mustered a glare, which quickly shut him up. "Sorry."

"I'll have it checked later," she yawned. "Can you read me a story from your book? Gatsby?"

Chris nodded and reached over to grab the paperback off the nightstand, opening it with one hand to where they'd last left off.

….

"Your fever broke which is good, but you still have a high temperature," Leonard looked down at the scans. "I'll have another listen to your chest and then I want you back in bed."

Lavinia rolled her eyes, as Leonard grabbed the stethoscope and placed it under her shirt. She winced at the sudden chill, before breathing in and out slowly as Len ordered her to do. Once he was finished, he quickly input the results to her medical file and did the rest of his observation.

"How's your sleeping? Any more nightmares?" he asked, as she shifted her clothing back into place.

"A few," she said quietly, snatching a clean tissue out of the box next to her. "Luckily Chris is there to wake me up before I start screaming and putting myself into a another coughing fit."

Leonard sighed, "Are you ever going to tell me what happened to you?" he asked.

She looked down at her hands, resting in her lap. Lavinia had yet to tell the others about what happened, confiding the truth behind her nightmares to Chris only. As much as she wanted to tell her brother and her friends, the cold, grasping feeling gripped her heart and made her want to curl up into a ball and die.

"Does Chris know?" he asked, when she didn't answer him.

"Yes," she nearly whispered.

Leonard shook his head, "Why wont you tell me?"

"It's not easy to talk about it, Len," she looked up at him.

"But you told Chris?" he shot back.

She looked down at her lap again, "He's my fiancé."

Leonard shook his head, "He _was _your fiancé, Lavinia. In another goddamn life!" he snapped, making her flinch. "I'm your brother! We have the same goddamn blood runnin' through our veins!"

Lavinia stared at him, her eyes wide and full with fear. He releaxed, shaking his head and setting the PADD down.

"I'm sorry," he covered his face with his hands. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you."

She started at him and remained silent. "I just love you and I worry about you all the time," he said, looking up at her. "For six months I walked through these halls with my last image of you running down the halls in a fright."

Lavinia looked away as he continued, "I watched your heart stop." Leonard leaned forward in his seat, "I saw you die and I couldn't save you."

Quickly she pushed herself off the gurney, "Please stop," she barely got the words out. "Please just stop!"

"Will you ever tell me what happened to you?" he asked, as she placed a hand over her chest. "Or is Chris going to be the only one to know everythin' about you?"

"Len please stop it!" she gasped, a cough racking her body. "I beg you. Please just drop it!"

Leonard stood up, "Why can't you confide in me? Do you not trust me at all?" he questioned.

Lavinia coughed harder, backing away from him. "Stop it," she gasped weakly.

"What's going on in here?"

Lavinia quickly turned around to find Hikaru standing in the doorway of the medical station, watching them with a frown. Quickly she moved away from Leoanrd and pushed past him, flinching as their arms brushed against one another.

"I was just leaving," she muttered quickly, before stumbling out into the hallway.

"Lavinia! Are you sure you're all right?" Hikaru asked, watching as she walked away.

"I'm fine!" she spat, as she stormed down the hallway. "Just leave me alone!"

By the time she returned to Chris' room and under the blankets, she could barely breathe as she cried and coughed at the same time. When Chris returned hours later from his office, she had passed out from sheer exhaustion.

….

"I think we should tell them," she said three days later, as she laid in bed.

It was a little after one in the morning when both she and Chris retired to the room, after watching a movie with Scotty and Jim. Chris was still wired after taking a short nap with her earlier in the day, reading a book as she watched the shadows of the tree branches across the ceiling.

Chris turned his attention from the book to her, "Tell them…"

She turned to look at him, "About what happened," she rolled over to face him. "I'm tired of hiding it. It's not making me any better, keeping it all in from them."

He marked his place in the book and closed it, setting it down next to him, "Are you sure you're ready?" he asked.

"I told you," she pointed out.

"Yeah," he nodded. "But I'm one person."

Lavinia sighed, "I know. But I told you because I trust you and I love you," she shifted her head on the pillow. "And I didn't want you to think that I was coming in here for something.. scandalous."

Chris chuckled, "I know you weren't," he placed his hand on top of hers. "You're not that type of girl."

"I don't even know what type of girl I am anymore," she traced her finger against the top of his hand. "Everything I thought I knew has changed."

Pulling his reading glasses off, Chris set them and the book on the nightstand. He then slid further down against the mattress and laid back against the pillows.

"Come here," he said, pulling her lightly against him.

Lavinia moved over and rested against his side, sighing as his arms came around her waist, pulling her tightly to him.

"If you want to tell them then tell them," he said. "I just want you to feel better and if this will make you feel better, then do it."

She nodded, "I'll be right there if you want me to bed," he offered.

Laivnia looked up at him, "I do," she nodded. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," he said quietly, stroking her arm with his hand.

Silence fell between them, as they lay tangled together under the blankets. Lavinia was on the edge of slumber, when he interrupted her with a question.

"Do you mean it?"

She opened her eyes and lifted her head up to look at him, "Hmm?" she grunted, her mind fogged with sleep. "What?"

"You say you love me," he kept his hand on her back. "Do you mean it?"

Lavinia blinked, her body slowly becoming alert and void of sleep. "Of course I do," she breathed. "Why would I say something like that if I didn't mean it?"

Chris shrugged, "It's just, you were with Hikaru and I thought.." he trailed off.

"I loved you both at one point," she leaned against his chest, resting the palms of her hands against him. "Between Hikaru's flirtation and that kiss we shared that night in the hall," she rested her chin on her folded hands. "Everything was so confusing. I felt like I was in the middle of a room, between the two of you and you were both trying to grab my attention."

"And you chose Hikaru," he stated.

She looked away, "I pushed you away because I was afraid. I was nineteen and out of my own element, with no memory of who I was or where I came from. Then I found out about our engagement and I was afraid."

"Of what?"

"I guess I was afraid of falling in love with you and then having to leave again," she looked back at him. "In my mind, I thought that if I went with Hikaru it wouldn't hurt that much if I had to leave again." She sighed, "I didn't expect to fall in love with both of you though."

Chris watched as she stared down at her fingertips of he left hand, "Do you still love him?" he asked.

She shook her head, "How could I love someone who says the things that he did?" she asked.

"I don't want you to think that you have to love me because at one point we were engaged," said Chris. "I don't want to be your rebound."

"You're not!"

Lavinia sat up on her knees, the mattress wobbling as she moved. "For you to even think!" she scoffed. "I'm not some common whore who does this for a living!"

As she moved to slide off the bed, Chris sat up and grabbed her by the arm, pulling her back to him. "I didn't mean it like that," he grunted; as she landed on top him. "I just want to make sure that you really mean it."

"I do mean it," she insisted. "I love you, I love you, I love you," she kissed his cheek over and over again.

He chuckled, "Okay, okay. Hey, no kissing until you're fully better."

She smiled before reaching up to touch his face, "I'm sorry for everything," she brushed her thumb across his cheek. "For flaunting my relationship with Hikaru in your face and for hurting you."

"I know," he pushed her hair away from her face. "I forgive you."

He then kissed her softly on the lips, pulling away before it led them anywhere further.

"I thought you so said no kissing?" she smiled, her eyes closed.

Chris chuckled, "One kiss won't hurt," he shifted her over and onto her side. "How about we get some sleep and tomorrow morning we'll have breakfast and then we can talk about this some more?" he asked.

Lavinia nodded and watched as he leaned back to turn the lamp off, rolling back over to pull the blankets up over them. With one quick kiss on the cheek, Lavinia snuggled against his chest, his steady rise and fall of his chest mixed with his beating heart lulling her to sleep.


	28. Chapter 28

**I'm so sorry for the lack of updates! I'll try to update this one more often, along with the other stories I've been writing on here!**

Lavinia trudged down the hallway, pulling the sleeves of the sweater down over her hands. Ever since she returned from death's doorstep, parts of her body were always cold, no matter what she did to warm up. Gloves never worked, making daily tasks difficult to complete. When she slept, Lavinia wore multiple layers of socks to keep her feet warm, along with three shirts and thermal leggings underneath the flannel pants. Chris would chuckle as she pulled her nightly wardrobe out of the dresser, telling her that he would put the heat up so she wouldn't have to wear so much.

"It never works, Chris," she said one night. "No matter what I do, I'm still freezing. I'm a walking ice cube!"

Having spent most of her time in his room, Lavinia had moved some of her personal items in. Her hairbrush, a few pieces of jewelry and books sat on the nightstand near her side of the bed. Her robe found it's place over the back of a chair, while a few pieces of clothing and shoes found their way in the closet and dresser. By then, the others were used to the fact that Lavinia shared a room with Chris. Hikaru put on his game face, insisting that he was fine and understood that Lavinia had moved on.

When Christine learned of the new development between Lavinia and Chris, during one of her very scarce visits, she was surprised. And worried.

"Lavinia, are you sure that's a good idea? He's much older than you and you shouldn't be sleeping in a bed with him if he's forcing you!" she told her over a cup of tea.

Lavinia reassured her that Chris wasn't forcing her to sleep in his bed, stating that it was she who willingly showed up that night, many weeks ago. She confided in Christine with every aspect of her worries about being in a relationship, since Chris was much older and more mature than Hikaru was. Having been home for nearly three months, Lavinia had adjusted to life without Hikaru being at her side all the time. That part of her life was over. Her life with Chris and finding out what exactly happened to her; that was her life now.

…..

"Thank you all for coming, "Lavinia said, as she sat down on the bar stool in the kitchen. "I know you're all busy with you work."

The boys sat around the table, some nursing a cup of coffee while Scotty sat with a glass of scotch. They all looked exhausted, spending hours on end, researching new developments and finding ways to expose Starfleet for their crimes.

"What's going on?" Pavel asked. "Are you sick? Oh my god, are you like.. dying for real?" he asked, growing frantic at the thought.

Chris, who stood next to Lavinia, shook his head. "No Pavel, she's not dying."

The young man sighed in relief, falling back in his seat. "Thank you god," he groaned. "I couldn't' bear to go through that again."

Lavinia nodded, "I know and I apologize that you had to witness that," she shook her head. "But I did call you all down here because what I have to tell you, has to do with my state of appearance when I returned."

They all nodded their heads and Lavinia sighed, glancing at Chris. Chris nodded, placing his hand upon hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. She then turned and looked at the others, blinking a few times before starting.

"I died April 15th, 1912 after my ship, the _RMS Titanic _struck an iceberg and sank in the middle of the North Atlantic…"

Lavinia explained every moment and every detail, leading up to her death. From boarding the ship, to the very end as she was bashed over the head from someone in a lifeboat.

"So, someone in the lifeboat pulled you up and bashed you over the head?" Jim asked, frowning. "What the fuck?"

Leonard looked upset, digesting the information that his sister had produced. "Why the hell did you stay on that ship?" he asked quietly. "You had a chance to get on a boat and you ran. Why?"

Lavinia shook her head, "There was only one spot left, Len," she shrugged. "I couldn't get in that boat knowing that Lucy would end up being a number in the death toll. She was my best friend and I couldn't do that to her, no matter how insane it sounds to you."

Scotty shook his head, "I canne believe you were on that ship," he sighed. "Ah read stories about it and ah canne imagine what it was like."

Hikaru remained silent during the entire thing, though Lavinia could see the look on his face. Horror mixed with pain and sorrow. He was finally realizing that his hurtful words had actually turned into near reality. He wanted her dead and she was close to it. That was something he would never get over, for as long as he lived.

"I want to find her," Lavinia announced. "Lucy. I know by now she's probably dead, but I need to know what happened to her."

Jim nodded, "I can start pulling things up on her," he sat back in the seat. "I'll need her full name, her birthdate and where she was originally from before she came to work for your family."

Lavinia nodded, "I can get you that information," she nodded. "I just need to know if she managed to make it to New York alive."

A few minuets later, they all disbanded, heading back to their work. Leonard was the last to leave, as Chris and Lavinia stayed behind. He made his way over to them, stopping to stand right in front of her.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you," she said, as he looked at her. "I know you're mad at m-" she was stopped when Leonard pulled her into a tight hug.

It wasn't until she heard his sniffling, feeling his entire body shaking in her arms, that made her realize he was crying. Chris quietly excused himself, leaving the kitchen so they could talk.

"If you ever leave me like that again," he gasped. "I don't know what I'll do."

Lavinia held onto him tightly, "I won't leave you," she promised. "I'm not going anywhere."

Leonard buried his face into the crook of her neck, holding onto her as if she would disappear on the spot.

…..

By the end of the week, Leonard managed to cheer up and pull himself out of the funk he put himself into for the last nine months. He was bonding with his sister, which he enjoyed immensely, teaching her all he knew about medicine.

"Now, you wanna make sure you clean out the wound before placin' the antibiotic mixture down," he showed her through a virtual diagram on a PADD. "That way, you rid the wound of any bacteria that contaminated the body as it was cut."

Lavinia nodded, "How do you know if the patient needs stiches?" she asked.

Leonard tapped at the screen, "The cut would be deeper," he said. "Like this."

She peered down at the screen and winced, "Oh ew," she made a face. "That's a lot of blood!"

He nodded, "I can't tell you how many times I had to stitch Jim up," he sighed. "That kid comes back with all kinds of wounds on him."

Lavinia hopped onto a gurney, watching as Leonard started re-organizing a supply tray. "Is that why you always keep one of these stocked and ready?" she asked, as Leonard double-checked each item.

He nodded, "It's always a good idea to be safe than sorry," he sighed. "We live dangerous lives, Vin. There are no guarantees for a safe trip into another time. "

"I know," she nodded. "Hey, I read this article on remedies to help regain warmth in hypothermia patients. Do you think we can work on a few of them? Find one that can help me?"

Leonard smiled, "You actually read a medical article?" he asked, surprised.

Lavinia nodded, "I didn't understand a few things," she shrugged. "But I think maybe something could work."

"I'd love to help," he smiled. "Pull it up on this and we can start now," he said, handing her the PADD.

Lavinia smiled and took it, powering it up to the internet. "Thank you," she said, looking up at him.

"You're welcome," he patted her leg. "Until then, I'm going to make you a big cup of hot coco."

She giggled, "Extra marshmallows?" she asked.

"I'll let it slide this time," he chuckled. "As your doctor, I don't want you ingesting too much sugar."

….

After a long day of testing with Leonard, Lavinia was relieved to be in bed. After picking apart the article and the remedies listed, Leonard quickly went to work, putting together various serums that would help regulate her body temperature. She hated it the most, when Leonard stabbed the hypos into her hands and feet. After trying ten different mixtures, nothing worked. Lavinia hobbled out of his medical station, with sore feet and tingling fingers.

"How's the testing going?" Chris asked, as he stepped out of the bathroom. "Any improvement?"

Lavinia shook her head, "No," she frowned. "Leonard tried putting a hypo to my thigh and I ended up kicking him."

Chris dropped the towel he was using to dry his hair in the hamper, chuckling as he moved to the bed. "I take it that went well."

"He said he couldn't work with me for the rest of the day," she said, as he climbed into bed. "I do hope he's not mad enough to stop working with me."

"Len will be fine," he promised. "Give him a day to cool off and he'll be back, stabbing you with hypos left and right."

Lavinia shuddered, "Oh how I love that," she sighed, sinking lower under the blankets.

Chris turned the lights down and pulled the heavy duvet over his legs, reaching for the book on the nightstand. "Do you want me to read to you?" he asked, opening the book to where they had left off the night before.

She shook her head, sliding closer to him. "Can we just lay here?" she mumbled, resting her head against his chest. "We've been so busy the last couple of days. I've missed you."

Setting the book down on the table, Chris wrapped his arm around her waist and hugged her tightly. "I've missed you, too," he said, kissing the top of her head.

Lavinia gave a content sigh, snuggling closer to him as his body radiated warmth that she needed.

"It's supposed to be warm out tomorrow," Chris announced. "Maybe, if you're up to it, we can sit on the patio and have lunch? You may even get some color."

She giggled, "Are you saying I'm too pale for your liking?" she asked, her eyes closed.

He chuckled, "You're lovely no matter how pale or tan you get."

"Good answer," she yawned, stretching her legs out under the blankets. "I think that sounds lovely."

"Go to sleep," he said softly. "Tomorrow will be a day for you and me, nothing else."

Lavinia hummed in agreement, "Love you," she mumbled, as unconsciousness crept towards her.

Chris ran his fingers through her hair, "I love you, too."

…..

Christine made her way down the deserted hallway of the office, carrying a stack of paperwork to the filing room. It was late and she was working overtime, due to the upcoming mandatory physicals of every staff member in Starfleet. She also needed to scope the files out, memorizing important details of the people that Chris and the others needed to track down during their missions.

Working as a double agent for her friends and Starfleet, was starting to take it's toll on her. The risks of getting caught were high, as Barnett and his cronies were getting more and more desperate in finding the rouge scientists that threatened to expose their dirty secrets. There was a 2.5 billion dollar reward for the capture of each member, while Barnett offered 6 billion for the capture of one Christopher Pike. Christine knew how badly Barnett wanted to kill Chris with his bare hands, since he was the major threat of the entire plot.

Stepping into the medical file room, Christine put down the stack of files on the tabl and moved to one of the numerous file cabinets. Tomorrow, she would be working with M'Benga, starting the first set of physicals. By the time 0600 arrived, M'Benga would expect the first eighty files on his desk. As she pulled through files, Christine heard voices coming down the hall.

She quickly shut the file cabinet door and ducked down behind the counter, holding her breath as the footsteps drew closer.

"So you found them?" Barnett asked.

"Yes Sir," Archer chuckled. "They've been hiding out in this abandoned mansion outside of town, in the middle of the woods."

Christine's eyes went wide as they continued talking, for they were talking of the Enterprise Station. After years of hiding, Starfleet had finally found them.

"Our goal is to raid the station at 0700 tomorrow morning," Archer said. "By 0745, you'll have six dead scientists and one Christopher Pike in your office. We'll release a press statement, staging a fake plane crash in the middle of the Mediterranean or something more drastic if you wish."

Barnett chuckled, "Anything to keep our innocence, Archer. I don't want the press coming after me or this company. Christopher Pike and his students will wish that they never went against me."

Christine waited for them to disappear, their footsteps fading down the hallway. Once she was sure that they'd left, Christine quickly got up and rushed out of the room, and walked quickly down the hall to her office. Grabbing her things, she took the elevator down to the main lobby and rushed outside to her car. She needed to warn them before it was too late. Before Barnett got his way and erased them all from history.


	29. Chapter 29

Chris moved around his office, picking up the mess that consumed every inch of the room. On a normal basis, the office would be spotless at all times. But with the ongoing search of finding the perfect point to expose Starfleet, the whereabouts of Lavinia's former maid and how she disappeared and re-appeared from death, took over. When work became too hectic and his office a mess, Chris would leave it until that particular search was over. However, it was when Lavinia came to his office for lunch the day before, which made him jump into cleaning mode. As she was leaving to head up to see Len, she slipped on a pile of papers and smashed her elbow against the table.

Of course, Len screamed and cursed at him, as he brought a crying Lavinia in to see him. While Lavinia reassured him that she wasn't mad, her tears only for the excruciating pain that she was in, Chris couldn't help the guilt that flowed through him. Once Leonard diagnosed her with a chipped elbow and wrapped her up with an ace bandage, Chris brought her back to their room and made sure she was comfortable. He brought her books and a tray of tea and cookies, before tucking the blankets over her lap.

Now, as he placed the books back onto the shelves, Chris hoped to get his office in shape before the end of the day. What he didn't plan on, was Christine bursting into his office, out of breath and wild eyed.

"What the-" he started, before she stopped him.

"Chris," she panted, her blonde hair wild about her head. "We need to talk."

…..

"How's my favorite cripple today?"

Lavinia looked up from the pile of clothes on the bed and glared, "That is not funny."

Jim chuckled as he pushed away from the doorframe, stepping further into the room. "Yes it is," he shook his head, before throwing himself down on the bed. "What are you doing in here? I thought you were shaking up with Pike?"

Lavinia sighed, "I came in here to get some more clothes," she moved to the wardrobe. "I'm getting tired of coming down here every week."

"I'm surprised you haven't moved everything up there already," he picked up a tea gown. "This is cute," he eyed the fancy lace around the bust. "When did you get this?"

Looking over her shoulder, she eyed the lilac and white-laced gown in his hands. "I think I got that after a trip to France," she shrugged. "1916 I think it was; Chris, myself and Scotty were searching for someone by the name of Number One."

Jim shrugged, "Sounds familiar," he set the dress down. "What are you going to do with all these clothes? Usually we just store them in the basement."

"I would never," Lavinia gasped, as she pulled a suitcase off the top shelf. "I've never seen anything past 1912 and even then I had lovely things to wear. But this stuff?" she nodded to the pile on the bed. "I couldn't bear to part from it."

Jim snickered, "I'm assuming it's because Chris tells you how pretty you look in everything you wear."

He laughed as she blushed, grabbing the sweater and folding it into the large case. "You are so annoying," she scolded, as he laughed harder. "Don't you have research to do?"

"I'm taking a break, " he shrugged, laying back against the cold pillows. "Besides, I've missed hanging out with you. You're always off with Chris, slipping on papers and cracking bones."

Lavinia was about to open her mouth when someone came running into the room, startling them both. Turning around, Lavinia was surprised to find Chris standing in the doorway of the room.

"We have an emergency, " he said, moving towards them. "We need to leave. Tonight."

JIm sat up quickly, "What? Why?" he asked.

"Christine overheard Barnett and Archer," he shook his head quickly. "They've found our location and plan on busting in at 0700 tomorrow morning."

"What?!" Lavinia yelped, dropping the old corset from her hands.

Chris turned to her, "I need you to pack as much as you can into that bag," he nodded to the open suitcase on her bed. "Because we're not coming back here."

Jim got up, "I'll start saving all the files onto a portable," he moved to the door. "I'll make sure Pavel does the same and we'll grab the important papers from the file locker."

"Bring clothes too, Jim," he said, watching as he moved to the door. "We're leaving no later than nine tonight."

With one final nod, Jim took off, leaving them in the room. Chris then turned to Lavinia and took her into his arms. "It's going to be okay," he said, as she stared at him. "I want you to pack quickly and go to our room and pack whatever's in there."

She nodded quickly, "Where are we going?" she asked.

"Christine knows a place far from here," he brushed her hair away from her face. "It's safe. I've been there before and so has Len and Scotty."

"Okay," she whispered, trembling at the thought of a massive raid coming through the station.

Chris cradled her face in his hands, "Lavinia," he said, snapping her out of a daze. "I'm promise you, it's safe. I wont let them get you."

With another nod, Chris quickly kissed her and moved out of the room, in need to warn the others. Turning her attention back to the mess on the bed, Lavinia shook her head. Grabbing the pile of clothes, she quickly folded them up and shoved them into the suitcase. Not a single thing would be left behind.

…..

By eight, Lavinia managed to drag her suitcase down to the transporter room, before rushing back up to the bedroom she shared with Chris. Digging through the closet, she snatched another suitcase that rested against the wall and tossed it onto the bed. She didn't know where they were going, making it harder for her to pack clothes for Chris. Instead of stalling, she ripped the clothes off the hangers and moved like a madwoman, folding and shoving them into place.

As she moved to the dresser, Chris was coming into the room with a bag. "I got everything important from my office," he said, moving to help her. "Len is packing up the necessary things from medical and Christine is actually packing up Nyota's room."

"But we don't know where she is!" Lavinia exclaimed, as she swiped everything off the nightstands and into another bag.

"Doesn't matter, "he said from the bathroom. "Did you get everything from the closet?" he asked.

"Yes," Lavinia searched under the bed quickly. "I didn't know what to pack though; I figured everything was a safe bet."

Chris nodded and moved to the now empty closet, the hangers laying on the floor and on the bar. Reaching up, Lavinia watched as he pulled something of the top shelf.

"What is that?" she asked, as he brought down a flat box.

Opening the bag from his office, Chris shoved the box inside and zipped it shut again. "Important paperwork," he said, moving to zip up his suitcase. "Can't let it fall into the wrong hands."

Lavinia nodded as he pulled the bag off the bed, "Lets go," he started to the door. "We have an hour and we need to make sure everyone is ready.'

…

By eight-forty-five, everyone was waiting by the transporter, bags strewn about. Scotty, Hikaru and Pavel were transporting all the baggage first, making it easier for everyone to travel.

"Where are we going?" Lavinia asked, as Leonard set down a box of medical supplies.

"Somewhere warm, darlin'" he managed to smile. "We'll be safer there than here."

She nodded despite feeling unsure about the safety of this new place and Leonard picked up on it. "You'll like it there, Vin," he rubbed her shoulder. "Might even do you some good."

"I hope so," she said quietly.

She watched as he moved to the console, making a quick call to Christine, who went home after informing Chris about the raid. She had opted to stay behind, promising to join them by the end of the week, once she tied up loose ends at work. Leonard hadn't been please with her choice, but knew he wouldn't be able to talk her out of it. Plus, it would raise suspicion; her disappearance so sudden after theirs.

"Alright, lets start moving," Chris said, a few minutes later. "Who wants to go first?"

"I'll go," Jim said, raising his hand. "Anyone wanna go with me?"

Hikaru moved forward, "I'll go."

"Right-o, "Scotty said from the controls. "Keep still and as soon as you get there, you'll need to enable the security system."

Jim nodded as they stepped onto the pad, "See ya soon," he grinned, waving at the small group before them.

Lavinia watched in shock as they materialized before her eyes, disappearing into thin air. Suddenly, she felt sick and nervous. She watched as her brother said goodbye to Christine, ending the call and erasing the data log. Once he disappeared on the pad, Lavinia was ready to throw up.

"Okay," Scotty announced. "You're turn, lass."

She looked and saw that the others were staring at her, "M-me?"

Scotty nodded, "Aye, yer next."

Lavinia shook her head, "I'm not doing that," she nodded to the PADD. "No way."

Chris moved towards her, "You have to," he touched her arm lightly. "It's the only way to get there. The safest and quickest way."

"Then go with me," she begged. "Please."

"I can't, Vina," he shook his head. "I'll have to set the computer to wipe out everything, before joining you."

Lavinia couldn't help the sudden wave of panic that filled her, "Please?" she whimpered. "Chris, I'm scared."

"Don't be scared," he pulled her into a hug, kissing the side of her head. "It's quick and you'll be there before you know it."

"It's not so bad," Pavel shrugged. "You might throw up-" he stopped when Chris turned to look at him. "But that's like, totally rare."

Chris looked back at Lavinia, "I'll be there before you know it," he nodded. "Besides, if you want the best room in the place, you'll need to beat Jim."

Letting out a shaky sigh, Lavinia nodded. "Okay," she took a deep breath. "I'll go."

Lavinia moved to the transport pad and stepped up, turning to face the others. Standing stiff as a board, her hands held firmly against her sides, she watched as the others moved about.

"Remember what I said, Vina," Chris nodded to her. "I'll be there soon."

She nodded, jumping as the machine started up again. She began to panic, her heart racing and her eyes stinging with the promise of tears. "Just breath, lass," Scotty said as he tapped away at the keys. "It's quick."

Suddenly, she felt a tingling sensation all over her body, as a blue swirl moved around her. Meeting Chris's eyes from across the room, she quickly mouthed "I love you," to him, before he disappeared before her eyes.

…

What was only seconds felt like ages, before Lavinia arrived in a bright room. Leonard was waiting for her, sighing in relief as she stood before him.

"Thank god," he picked her up, moving her off the pad. "I got worried when no ne arrived after me."

"I'm fine," she said, as he hugged her. "Where's Jim and Hikaru?" she asked, looking around the room.

Leonard set her down, "They're moving our stuff out of the way," he said, nodding to the suitcases and boxes. "I guess we overpacked."

There was a hum and a flash of light, before Pavel and Scotty stood on the pad. Leonard went to greet them, as they stepped down onto the floor. Lavinia waited for Chris, who was due to arrive only seconds after them. But when the machine didn't start up again, she began to worry. After three minutes, she began to panic.

"Where is he?" she asked, as Scotty went to check the frequency channels. "He should've been here by now."

"Ah don't know," he shook his head. "Maybe it's taking a bit loner to wipe the programs out of the database."

Lavinia began to shake her head, "Send me back," she ordered, moving to climb back onto the pad. "Now!"

"Ah can't send yeh back!" Scotty exclaimed. "We set it up so that we couldn't go back."

"WHAT!" she yelled. "Why would you do that? What if he's hurt! Oh god, what if they came early!"

Leonard quickly pulled her down, "Stop," he ordered. "Just relax, Vin. He's probably waiting for the virus to set in before leaving," he rubbed her back. "We can't leave any trace of our research behind."

She shook her head, "He said he'd be here!" she cried.

"And he will!" Leonard nodded. "He'll be here, darlin'. I promise."

Reluctantly, Lavinia nodded as she played with the necklace around her neck. "If he's not here within the next half-hour, then you better figure out a way to send me back."

Leonard nodded, "Alright," he steered her away from the pad. "Now how about we find your bedroom? If I remember correctly, there's room with a really nice view of the ocean. Perfect for sunsets and I'm sure you and Chris would like that."


	30. Chapter 30

**I'm going to be drawing this story to a close, with hopes to continue in a second part. As of now, I want to end this chapter of the story because it seems like no one is reading it anyways. **

Five minutes after her arrival, Lavinia went crazy. Getting into a scuffle with both Jim and Leonard, fighting to get back onto the transport pad, Leonard had to turn to drastic measures. She barely made it down the hall before her brother caught up with her, jamming a sedative-laced hypo into her neck. Then, dragging her down the hall to the bedroom, he and Jim tucked her into bed and turned the lights out.

Hours later, Lavinia woke up with a massive headache and confused. The bed felt different to her, the pillows not as comfortable as the one's on Chris' bed. Even the sheets felt weird against her skin, like sandpaper. Blinking, Lavinia looked up at the ceiling and tried to remember what happened. When it finally hit her, she sat up quickly and jumped out of bed. Rushing out the door, she moved quickly down the hallway.

"Hello?!" she shouted. "Is there anyone here? Hello?!"

Taking the stairs, Lavinia moved quickly, nearly missing a few steps as she went. Finally reaching the bottom of the staircase, she took a hard turn to the left and bolted down the hall. Hearing voices, she moved quicker towards them. Skidding to a halt, Lavinia reached out for the doorframe of what was the kitchen.

Heads turned as she stumbled in, almost diving headfirst into a chair.

"Whoa," Jim's eyes were wide. "Where's the fire?" he asked.

Regaining her footing, Lavinia stood up straighter. "Where is he?" she asked, looking around the room. "Where's Chris?"

Before anyone could answer, Lavinia heard voices out in the hallway. Looking out into the hall, she spotted Leonard walking towards the kitchen. Next to him, dressed in clean clothes and barefoot, was Chris. Letting out a gasp, Lavinia quickly ran out and towards them.

Both men were in a deep conversation as she ran towards them. They barely had any time to notice her, before she jumped onto Chris.

"Whoa!" he grabbed her around the waist and she threw her arms and legs around him. "Lavinia? Wh-"

She silenced him with a kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. He relaxed and wrapped his arms around her tightly, deepening the kiss. After a few minutes, Chris set her down and she stepped back to look at him. Her face then twisted into a scowl and she slapped his arm.

"Ouch!" he yelped. "What was that for?"

"What took you so long?" she asked, as Leonard snickered. "You said you'd be a few seconds!"

Chris continued to rub his arm, "Jesus Lavinia," he grumbled. "I had to run a virus through the computer system. Took longer than I anticipated."

She shook her head, "When did you get here?"

"It took an hour to complete," he shrugged. "Once it was complete, I quickly came here. So I guess that was what? Seven hours ago."

"SEVEN HOURS!" she shouted, turning to look at her brother. "WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME!?"

Leonard snorted, "I, my darling sister, sedated you," giving her a smug smile. "You wouldn't sit tight for anything."

Lavinia glared at him, "You're an uncivilized animal with those things," she snapped.

Chris took her by the hand, "Let's get you some food and we'll go upstairs to talk."

…..

Twenty minutes later, both were upstairs in their new room, sitting at the table on the deck.

"I thought the worst," she said, shaking her head. "I was going to come back to get you."

Chris reached across the table for her hand, which she gladly held out. "I told you I was coming, Vin," he nodded. "I'm sorry for scaring you."

She nodded, "I know," she looked out at the horizon.

He squeezed her hand, "I love you."

Looking back at him, she gave him a small smile in return. "I love you, too."

Moving to the wicker bench near the wall, Lavinia curled up against his side, as they watched the sun set over the ocean.

"Where are we?" she asked.

"A little place called Bunker Bay," he kissed the top of her head. "We're in Australia."

Lavinia gave a content sigh, "I've never been here before."

"Tomorrow we'll go explore the grounds," he rubbed her shoulder. "Close your eyes and relax, Vin. I'll be right here when you wake up."

….

They next morning, they woke up late. Taking their time with getting ready, Chris and Lavinia strolled into the kitchen for a late breakfast. Jim and Leonard had gone out at the crack of dawn, heading into town to stock up on food and other necessities.

"Look who decided to grace us with their presence," Jim said, as they made their way over to the table. "I guess you two had a good night."

Chris pulled out a chair for Lavinia, "I don't kiss and tell, Jim," she said sitting down. "I smell food."

Leonard snorted, "There's some bacon left over," he nodded to the dish on the stovetop. "Had to fight Scotty away, just to save a decent amount for you two."

As Chris whipped up some scrambled eggs, Leonard brought a carton of juice over to the table and a few glasses.

"So, what are you doing today?" he asked, sitting down across from her.

"Explore," she smiled. "I've never been to Australia."

Jim rolled his eyes, "I plan on taking a nice dip in the ocean and a long nap," he sat back in the chair.

Chris came over with two plates, setting one down in front of Lavinia. "Eat up," he said, taking a seat next to her.

Grabbing her fork, Lavinia dug in, grateful for the hot meal. "Who owns this place?" she asked, picking up her juice.

"Christine knows a few people," Leonard shrugged. "I don't know, I don't get involved with her past."

She nodded, "She's still coming right? The end of the week?"

Leonard shrugged, "I hope so," he sighed. "She risked a lot to bring that information to us, getting us out of there before the raid.

"And we will remind her how thankful we are," Chris said, sitting back in his chair. "I can only imagine Barnett and Archer's faces when they busted into that place and we were all gone."

Jim snorted, "I hope they shit themselves," he shook his head. "Bastards."

"Well," Lavinia set her fork down. "I'll put her room together later tonight, unless she's staying with you of course," she looked at Leonard.

He nodded, "I wouldn't mind if you cleaned our room, though," he grinned. "Isn't that what little sisters are supposed to do?"

"Darling," she stood up slowly, picking up her empty dish. "If I can remember correctly, and forgive me.. my memory is a bit hazy. But I'm nineteen years older than you."

Leonard rolled his eyes, "So? That was like a hundred and thirty-two years ago!"

Jim and Chris snickered at his scowl, "Still, "Lavinia smiled sweetly at him. "You're my little brother, who I adore oh so much."

Taking Chris's plate, Lavinia carried the dirty dishes to the sink and started for the door. "I'll be in our room, getting ready for our walk."

Chris nodded as she stepped out into the hallway, before turning to Leonard. "So, little brother," he grinned, as the doctor cursed. "I do hope you answer your _older _siblings demands."

"Dammit Chris," he snapped. "It's not funny."

Jim snorted, "Yes it is, Bones. Owned by a high society girl," he shook his head. "Never thought I'd see the day."

…..

After a long walk through the grounds, Chris and Lavinia returned in the late afternoon hours. Both were tired and overheated, after walking through the fields in the bright, hot sunshine.

"Well, I guess my body temperature problem has been solved," she huffed, pushing a damp strand of hair away from her face. "It's really hot here."

They took the stone steps up towards the house, which was lit up with every light inside. The faint sound of music from inside wafted out through the open French doors from the kitchen.

"Maybe coming here was a good thing," he said, as she shifted the small bouquet of wildflowers from one hand to the other. "Now we can sleep with the windows open."

She snorted, "That was your main concern?" she asked, looking at him with her eyebrows raised. "Sleeping with the windows open?"

Chris wrapped his arm around her shoulders, "You know what I mean."

Lavinia giggled, "I know," she hooked her arm around his waist. "I had fun today."

"Me too," he smiled. "Come on, let's get cleaned up and see what these hooligans are up to."

They moved quickly through the open lounge area that was settled on the patio, a small fire burning in the fire pit.

"I guess we're late for the party," Chris said with a frown. "Let's hope they left us some food."

Stepping through the backdoor, Chris stopped suddenly in his steps, which in return caused Lavinia to bump into him.

"Whoa," she gasped, righting herself. "What's wrong?" she asked, looking up at him.

She then turned and spotted her brother and friends standing quietly around the island in the middle of the kitchen. Leonard sat on a stool, hunched over the counter.

"Len? What's wrong?" she asked, moving towards him.

"Yeh need to see this," Scotty said, grabbing the remote off the counter.

Turning the television on, Chris and Lavinia turned their attention to the screen as a news reporter came on.

"_Now, turning to our co-anchors in the United States; Early Wednesday morning, the body of a Starfleet scientist was found inside her home. Christine Elizabeth Chapel, aged 29, was found in her bedroom by a co-worker. When she had failed to show up for work at Starfleet headquarters, the co-worker grew worried and went to check upon Miss Chapel. As most viewers know, Chapel was the same scientific team with Doctor Christopher Pike, who with a small group of scientists, went into hiding after plotting to sell information to Narada Incorporated eight years ago. No word yet if the disappearance of Doctor Pike and his crew and the murder of Miss Chapel are related. The head of Starfleet, Doctor Richard Barnett, will hold a press conference Friday morning. Since then, he has released a statement on behalf of Starfleet and Miss Chapel's family."_

The screen flashed to a stream of text, alerting the "devastating loss" of one of Starfleet's best. That they wish for all the best to Christine's family, insisting that they would do all that they could to help them and Christine's co-workers.

"Oh my god," Lavinia said quietly, covering her mouth. "No."

"Len.." Chris started, before he shot out of the chair.

They watched as he stormed out of the kitchen, leaving them all in stunned silence. Scotty turned the television off and took a seat at the counter, as did Pavel and Hikaru.

"She was killed, "Lavinia said, looking up at them. "They found out that she told us and killed her."

Jim held up his hand, "We don't know that.." he said weakly.

"We don't?" she asked. "Jim, that is the same man who planned a raid to capture and kill all of you! Don't tell me he isn't capable of killing Christine! He found out and had her taken care of!"

Chris placed his hand on her back, which silenced her. "She should've came with us," she whispered. "Oh god, Len.."

"What do we do now?" Hikaru asked, as Pavel quietly cried next to him.

Chris closed his eyes for a moment, as Lavinia cried at his side. He then opened them and turned to look at the remains of his crew; his scientists that risked their lives to come with him. His family.

"We get to work," he said, as he took Lavinia's hand into his. "We get to work and we don't stop until we find the right information to tear that company down.

Scotty nodded, "Aye," he agreed.

"I'm in," Jim nodded.

"Me too," Pavel sniffled, as Hikaru nodded in agreement.

Chris looked down at Lavinia, who nodded slowly. "I don't want to lose anyone else," she said. "I'm in."

"I know McCoy will want revenge," Jim said.

"Rightfully so," Hikaru agreed.

Chris nodded, "If it's a war Barnett wants," he took the bouquet of wildflowers from Lavinia, looking down at the purple and pink flowers. He then looked up at the men and the lovely woman at his side. "Then he shall have it."


End file.
